Ms Marianne Taylor was one of the first to walk across the new Hamilton Street pedestrian bridge on Friday night. Horsham Rural City Council notified the community it was open to use after 5 pm on June 16.
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"I have friends who live just across the river, and it will make it much easier to visit them when I'm out walking, and it adds another way to take my walk, which will be nice too," she said.
"I think it will help school students connect them to the schools so they don't have to use the main traffic bridge," she said.
The new bridge is open to the public, "but the official opening will be scheduled later, and it will be an opportunity to recognise the funders," a Council spokesperson said.
"A key part of the story is that the entire $2.45 million project has been paid for with external funding, so there was no cost to the ratepayers thanks to the advocacy work," they said.
An additional ramp is still to be constructed along Menadue Street in the future.
The bridge includes lighting, so it is safe to use at night.
As previously reported by the Wimmera Mail-Times: The Horsham City Council was awarded a grant through TAC's Local Government Grant Program for the new East-West safe cycling and pedestrian linkage pathway.
Located near the Hamilton Street Pedestrian Bridge, the pathway will improve road safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and school students.
The shared user path will be built after the Hamilton Street Pedestrian Bridge is completed to manage the expected foot traffic from the Waterlink Estate residential area.
HRCC Infrastructure Director John Martin said the extra funding would enable the construction of a sealed walking path between the bridge and the existing walking path along the river.
"The path will be suitable for bicycles, walkers, and gophers, as a shared path, and will include lighting for nighttime safety," Mr Martin said. "The lights will also enable the bridge to be used for a more significant portion of the day, especially in the early mornings.
"The path will also form a loop with the existing paths on the west/north side of the river, enabling visitors and locals alike to cross the river.
"It will also be a convenient path for people attending the growing number of events at the showgrounds, basketball stadium, and other facilities in that precinct."
Mr Martin said students could benefit from the pathway, allowing those attending the three schools nearest to the river a safe walking route to school.
The TAC Local Government Grant Program provides funding to support projects that align with the Victorian Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 and consider Safe System principles to reduce crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists.
On March 29, 2022, the council announced the Victorian Government provided $1.225 million through its Regional Infrastructure Fund for the construction of the Hamilton Street Pedestrian Bridge, adding to the Federal Government's Local Roads and Community Infrastructure contribution announced the previous year and the entire $2.45 million project would be paid for with external funding.
