CONSTRUCTION has started on the long-awaited Ryrie Street bridge at Michelago and once complete, Snowy Monaro deputy mayor and Michelago resident Tanya Higgins says the village will be reinvigorated and the response times for emergency services improved.

The new bridge will link residents on Micalago Road with Ryrie Street, slashing the time it currently takes to access the village.

Micalago Road residents are required to use the Monaro Highway to enter the village. With heavy traffic on the highway, especially during winter, safety concerns have been raised for a number of years by residents.

Cr Higgins said while the start construction has taken much longer than residents would have liked, many have welcomed the milestone.

"I've had people contacting me to say how pleased they are the work has finally started," Cr Higgins said.

"The bridge will make such a significance difference to the village. It will be safer for Micalago residents and families coming to the village, be it for the general store or school, and it will be quicker for our Rural Fire Service volunteers to access the station.

"Families will be able to ride to school and not have to drive onto the Monaro Highway."

Cr Higgins said it has been a frustrating few years for locals after grant funding was secured was in 2021.

"Former mayor John Rooney advocated strongly for grant funding to build the bridge," Cr Higgins said.

"There were a number of setbacks with UGL rail and the bureaucracy delayed the project."

Constructed commenced last week and the new bridge is set for completion by the end of June 2024/

The 20-metre bridge of Michelago Creek will connect residents on the southern end of the village (along Micalago Road) to the village centre for the first time in years.

No detour will be in place during construction, with access between Micalago Road and the village centre along the Monaro Highway unaffected by this work.

"This bridge has been a priority for our community for some time, and we are thrilled to be getting underway with the construction of this important project," Snowy Monaro mayor Chris Hanna said.

"We are really grateful for the support of the Australian Government to get this project done, and I want to thank the many stakeholders involved in the approval process at the state level for working with us to reach this point.

"Council appreciates the Michelago community’s patience and support as we worked through the lengthy planning and approval process this project required."

Cr Higgins believes the village will benefit from the bridge as more people will have improved access to recreational facilities and the general store.

"There will be a flow-on effect from the bridge with more people entering the village. The general store will benefit