The updated Abington Bridge was officially opened by NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay and Senator John Williams on Tuesday and replaces a 92-year-old wooden single-lane structure.

Built with funding from the state and federal governments and Uralla Shire Council, the $1.45 million project means heavy and over-width vehicles no longer have to take a 30km detour to avoid what had been a load- and speed-limited bridge.

“This new bridge effectively condenses 30km of wasted travel for heavy vehicles into a few hundred metres,” Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall said.

The opening follows the construction of a new double-lane bridge at Emu Crossing that was opened to traffic late last year.

Uralla shire mayor Michael Pearce warmly welcomed the opening.

“Thunderbolts Way is a vital tourist and transport route, and the old bridge infrastructure was always something of a burden to council and a pinch-point for those who travel the route,” Cr Pearce said.

“The new Abington Bridge takes out the last bottleneck on this stretch of Thunderbolts Way, which is fantastic news for residents of Bundarra and Uralla shire, and neighbouring shires as well.”

Local grazier and University of New England chancellor James Harris is the owner of the bridge’s namesake property Abington, and was relieved to see the old bridge go.

“At times it’s been plain dangerous,” Mr Harris.

“At night you can hear the trucks coming down from the Bundarra side just piling on their air brakes. People have been caught on the bridge with an oncoming vehicle. It’s very fortunate that there hasn’t been a serious accident.”