Local

Kemp Street bridge: First footbridge sections lifted into place

Published

12 hours ago

August 4, 2026

THE first sections of the pedestrian footbridge that will run alongside Junee’s new Kemp Street bridge have been lifted into place, marking another major milestone in the Inland Rail project.

Two large curved steel sections, which will form part of the ramp leading to the new pedestrian footbridge on the northern side of the bridge, arrived in Junee on the back of semi-trailers on Tuesday.

The first load rolled into the construction site about 9am before being lifted into position behind the Junee Skate Park using a 450-tonne crane.

A second section arrived later in the day and was lowered into place just before 2pm as passing motorists stopped to watch the enormous steel components being manoeuvred into position.

The installation provides the clearest indication yet of the size and scale of the pedestrian footbridge, which will run alongside the new road bridge.

The heavy lift follows the arrival of the massive crane in Junee on Monday, with crews assembling the machine on the corner of Edgar and Hill streets on Monday night ahead of the first steel deliveries.

More bridge components are now expected to arrive over the coming weeks as construction continues to gather pace.

According to Inland Rail, deliveries of steel girders and other bridge components will continue during normal construction hours between 7am and 6pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, August 4-5, before resuming from Monday, August 31 to Wednesday, September 2.

A third delivery window has also been scheduled from Monday, September 28 to Thursday, October 1.

An Inland Rail spokesperson told the Junee Bulletin crews are expected to begin installing the first girders for the new road bridge in late August, allowing the overpass to begin stretching across the rail corridor for the first time.

“We expect installation to commence in late August,” the spokesperson said.

Tuesday’s deliveries come as the new Kemp Street bridge continues to emerge above the rail corridor.

Major concrete pours for the bridge’s main support piers have now been completed, while work is continuing on the headstocks that will support the steel girders.

SEE THE PICS: Junee’s new Kemp Street bridge takes shape

Construction of the retaining walls along the eastern approach is also progressing, with work on the concrete safety barriers expected to begin over the next two months.

Another 96-hour rail possession will take place from September 12 to 15, during which crews will continue bridge construction while undertaking track realignment works, including the replacement of a crossover in the northern section of Junee Yard.

Inland Rail last month confirmed the bridge remains on schedule for completion by August 2027.

When the original Kemp Street bridge was demolished in September 2025, residents were advised construction of the replacement bridge was expected to take approximately 18 months, indicating completion around April 2027.

Planning is also continuing for the next stage of roadworks associated with the project, including the reconstruction of the Kemp Street and Seignior Street intersection and upgrades to the Ducker Street intersection.

Meanwhile, the intersection of Railway Parade and Kemp Street is expected to close from August 18 as crews begin raising the western road approach to the bridge, with Stage 3 traffic arrangements to remain in place until the project is complete.

The Kemp Street site compound will also be expanded to cover part of Endeavour Park from August 18.

Inland Rail says it is continuing to work with Junee Shire Council and Transport for NSW on the detailed planning and approvals required before major roadworks and intersection reconstruction begin later this year.

As of June 30, the Junee component of the Albury to Illabo project was 36 per cent complete, broadly in line with progress across the wider section.