With load limits set to increase by at least 20 tonne across the new bridge from next week, several trucking companies who have travelled a full truck could not go across the old bridge.
The first fully loaded road trains are expected to travel across the new bridge as early as Monday evening or Tuesday morning.
Deniliquin’s Purtill Group Petroleum general manager Glenn Carr said he expected an increase in heavy vehicle traffic across the bridge, although the increased load limits may result in more companies moving to the road train model.
“We use 30-metre A-double road trains. Before the new bridge opening we could not come across loaded,” Mr Carr said.
“The old bridge limit was well under 70 tonne.”
The A-double road road trains are capable of carrying 85.5 tonne
Mr Carr said Purtill company trucks would definitely be using the new bridge.
“Previously we have had to go through Shepparton. Coming through Echuca to and from Melbourne will cut about two hours off the trip,” he said.
Mr Carr said using these road trains would decrease his own company’s traffic movements by 30 per cent, but once other companies found out the Echuca-Moama bridge was open he expected them to immediately change their routes.
“Companies that traditionally used the old bridge will be able to run less trucks because of the increased load limits,” he said.
“That will be balanced out by the fact companies that have been unable to come through Echuca and Moama will now change their routes.”
Mr Carr said he was planning to have his first truck over the new bridge on Tuesday.
“We will be loading from Newport, in Melbourne, and coming across at about lunch time.
"I expect there will be others using it more than people, companies like Kagome and others.
“Those companies that use the traditional B-doubles will be able to run with heavier loads.
“A lot of the the trucks that have been using the old bridge wouldn’t have had full loads,” he said.
Mr Carr said the Purtill group route would be through Elmore and Heathcote, but his drivers would now not have to negotiate the likes of Sturt, High or Meninya Sts in Echuca and Moama.
“We will turn off the bridge and right onto Warren St and then left onto the northern highway, and follow that straight through,” he said.
Mr Carr said he expected truck companies to welcome the bridge’s arrival and the chance to avoid potential traffic jams in Sturt St, High St or Meninya St.
“Those streets present a lot of headache, with local and tourist traffic,” he said.
Mr Carr said he expected many Riverina transport companies to use the new bridge, maybe even Queensland companies, depending on their location in the state.
One significant question mark about the potential increase in truck traffic across the bridge and through the two towns is the lack of designated splitting and re-hooking areas.
"There is very little area to do that at the moment and it will only get worse when this bridge becomes the primary route for us, to and from Melbourne,“ he said.
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