The City of Canterbury Bankstown and Cumberland City Council have announced proposed upgrades to the Hector Street and Wolumba Street bridges in Chester Hill, New South Wales. The project aims to address ageing structural issues and improve safety for drivers and pedestrians crossing the Sydney Water pipeline corridor beneath the road.
The Hector Street bridge dates back more than 70 years. The bridges have previously been subject to load and structural concerns that, at times, led to weight restrictions forcing heavy vehicles onto detours of up to about 4 kilometres. Engineers propose replacing legacy structural elements with pre-cast concrete decks and installing improved drainage systems to protect the Sydney Water assets below.
The 2026 proposal represents a Stage 2 set of works following substantial bridge replacement activity carried out between 2021 and 2023. The upgrades are also intended to integrate with the Chester Hill Station Upgrade; Transport for NSW reports the station works are expected to be completed in late 2026.
Community consultation on the bridge upgrades is scheduled from 1 February to 15 March 2026, when local residents can inspect engineering plans and provide feedback.
Construction is targeted to begin in late 2026. Councils say specialized measures — including non‑vibratory piling and vibration monitoring — will be used to protect the underlying water main. Officials warn that, while the works will improve the local road network, there will be temporary noise, vibration monitoring and traffic changes affecting nearby homes and businesses during construction.
The project is jointly funded by Cumberland City Council and The City of Canterbury Bankstown, with the City of Canterbury Bankstown managing the works on behalf of both councils.
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