Webb Bridge resurfacing slip up

By Meg Hill

The Webb Bridge was closed for three weeks last year for waterproofing works worth $140,000, but the council said the resurfacing work had become a hazard.

Resident Sue Mason said she couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw a “slippery-when-wet” sign on the bridge in January.

“Didn’t we just close the bridge for resurfacing/painting? Why didn’t we use non-slip products when we undertook this work?” she said. “What a terrible waste of public time and funds.”

But a spokesperson from the City of Melbourne said the work was meant to make the surface slip resistant.

“The Webb Bridge was resurfaced with a protective seal to help protect the bridge from the elements. Professional advice was taken from experts in the selection of the surface treatment, this included the need for the surface to be slip resistant,” the spokesperson said.

“The bridge was re-opened on November 1, 2019, but unfortunately we’ve received complaints from cyclists that the new surface is slippery when wet.”

The spokesperson said council was working on a solution that “addresses concerns”.

“We apologise for the inconvenience caused by this work,” the spokesperson said.