Historic Bridge Closure Causes Delays

0:00Local headlines in two minutes or less, you're tuned in to Sydney News today. A historic bridge on the Great Western Highway has forced an indefinite closure at Victoria Pass, severing a main route between Sydney and Western New, South Wales. The nearly 200-year-old convict bridge is cracking and shifting under modern traffic, which includes about 12,000 vehicles daily, many heavy trucks. Local groups warned the new South Wales government last December about the bridge's risks, built for horses and carts, but now strained by. 21st century loads. Sensors installed after those pleas detected the unsafe movement this week. Motors are now rerouting onto the Bell's line of road, leading to long delays for commuters, school runs, medical trips, and freight deliveries. Trucking organizations say major projects could stall, because alternative paths need special permits. Damage surface Thursday evening when crews check the broken down truck and spotted road defects. By Monday morning, geotechnical teams found deeper substructure issues,

1:02ruling out any quick fix. Officials prioritize safety with engineers on-site around the clock, and no reopening date in sight. The government has already invested $20 million in prior slow repairs there, and made growing calls to rethink a shelved highway tunnel. The Daily News now is grateful to our sponsor for today's episode. Headphones in a pillow, simple idea, surprisingly addictive, S-O-L-L-I, solely pillow.com.