Booth Street Bridge closure

In 2025, the bridge over the Bendigo Creek in Booth Street, Golden Square will be permanently closed to vehicle traffic.

Booth Street Bridge closure

The Booth Street bridge was originally constructed over 120 years ago between 1900 and 1902 by Monash & Anderson. The bridge is an extraordinary example of the Monier concrete arch bridges designed and constructed by Monash & Anderson as it demonstrates an important stage in the development of reinforced concrete technology and early twentieth century engineering.

Eight Monier reinforced concrete arch bridges were built in Bendigo between 1900 and 1902, with six remaining at Thistle Street, Wade Street, Booth Street, High Street Golden Square, Abbott Street and Kings Bridge in Weeroona Avenue.

The Booth Street bridge has historical significance not only for its design and construction, but also for the active involvement of the famous (Sir) John Monash prior to him being knighted in WW1. It is of scientific and historical significance to the state of Victoria.

The bridge has no footpath or bike path facilities on it, but forms part of the Bendigo Creek trail. Users currently share the 4.5m wide bridge with through traffic.

In 2008 the City reduced the load limit of the Booth Street Bridge to 5 tonne to slow and reduce the deterioration of the historic bridge structure. In 2020 a further engineering investigation and load testing was undertaken on the bridge.

This inspection found that the capacity of the bridge had reduced since 2008 due to continued degradation and use of the bridge and that significant repairs would be required if the bridge were to remain open to traffic.

Repairs to the Booth Street Bridge are estimated to cost in excess of $500,000. The Booth Street bridge was considered under the City’s bridge renewal program and was not determined to be high priority when compared to other bridge renewal projects in Greater Bendigo.

The bridge section of Booth Street carries a volume of approximately 431 vehicles per day and the surrounding road network is considered adequate to absorb this traffic. Using Wade Street as an alternative would require vehicles to travel an additional 250 metres.

Closing the bridge to vehicles but leaving it open to pedestrians and cyclists is deemed the most beneficial and cost-effective option. Therefore the City has taken the decision to permanently close the bridge to vehicular traffic given the low usage and easily accessible alternate routes.

The City has successfully completed the required statutory processes to exercise its power to permanently close the road to traffic in accordance with schedule 11, Clause 9 and Section 207A of the Local Government Act 1989.

As part of the bridge closure some minor works will take place and include installation of a court bowl turn around area and vehicle barriers on the High Street side of the bridge, and some kerbing/vehicle barriers on the Old High Street side.