A new era of travel is dawning for the Lawrence community with work on the Sportsman’s Creek Bridge project reaching a major milestone. Clarence Nationals MP Chris Gulaptis last week witnessed the first girder being installed on the new $27 million crossing funded under the NSW Government’s Bridges for the Bush program. “The new concrete bridge has been a long time coming and once work is completed next year will revolutionise the way locals and freight operators do business. “The 105 year old timber bridge has served the community well but it doesn’t meet predicted future demand with more than 1,000 people using Sportsman’s Creek every day. “I’m pleased to inspect progress on the new 175 metre crossing which will connect Grafton Street and Grafton-Lawrence Road. “The new concrete crossing will remove a pinch point and improve safety for all road users, as it’ll have a shared pathway for pedestrians and cyclists,” he said. The community will be kept updated as work progresses and more information on the project can be found on the Roads and Maritime Services website.