The Eurobodalla Shire Council has set a "lofty" target of rebuilding 18 bridges in 18 months, after the structures were damaged or burnt in the summer's bushfires.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Many small communities in the shire were isolated after the timber bridges were destroyed.
Council engineer Lew Oldfield said most bridges were west of the Princes Highway, and provided essential access for rural property owners.
"Our initial priority was to restore access and it was all hands on deck to undertake temporary repairs and build side tracks where we could," Mr Oldfield said.
"We are now focusing on permanent solutions.
"It's a massive undertaking but we're making solid headway."
Six months on, the council said the team had finished restoring four bridges at Araluen, Wagonga, Belowra and Nerrigundah, the council said.
With favourable weather, Mr Oldfield hoped the council would complete 12 bridges by Christmas and have all 18 repaired or replaced by late 2021.
It also had contracts let for a further three and had two out for tender.
A temporary side track was built at Pidgeon Gully Bridge, on Araluen Road, while the bridge was replaced with concrete box culverts.
A footbridge at Rosedale would be finished by council staff at the end of the month.
Work on two tendered bridges was likely to start in September and be complete by October.
The council said constructing one bridge would usually take between 20 and 26 weeks.
"State government support has allowed us to streamline the tender process and move more quickly," Mr Oldfield said.
"We are also building modular bridges, which comprise components that are manufactured off site and then just put together."
The council was also replacing timber structures with concrete, increasing their resilience against future disasters, where possible.
The rebuild would cost about $8 million, a council spokesperson said.
The work was funded thanks to the Commonwealth and NSW Government's combined Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
The council said while its administration building in Moruya was open to the public, staff encouraged residents to do business online at www.esc.nsw.gov.au or over the phone at 4474 1000.