While describing today's bridge funding as a win for the community, MP Susan Templeman said it was a long-time coming.
She said the project received its initial funding 11 years ago, via a $2 million pledge from the then infrastructure minister Anthony Albanese to fund a report regarding possible construction.
"The Federal and State Governments have followed my lead on Richmond Bridge and I am so pleased for the community that they have finally recognised that a budget bridge would solve nothing," Ms Templeman said.
"The feedback I provided to the government based on a survey of thousands of people was that residents wanted three things - a traffic solution, a flood-resilient option and a bypass of both North Richmond and historic Richmond.
"It's good to see that after a one in 50 flood event, the Federal Government has now shifted into gear and acknowledged what locals know - that the bridge needs to be higher and bypass our town centres so we didn't simple create another traffic bottleneck."
Ms Templeman said that questions remain as to what the bridge will mean to development across the river, what of the people affected by the new roads on the Richmond side of the bridge, and with regards to those whose land will need to be acquired.
"NSW Transport and Roads Minister, Andrew Constance, has said there are 21 partial or full property acquisitions involved in this process, and I know residents will be extremely anxious about what that involves and how they will be treated," she said.
"My requests to both the State and Federal Governments for briefings to date have been refused, but I do hope that I will now be allowed to engage in the next part of the process to finalise the route.
"Make no mistake; this latest announcement is the result of years of lobbying by members of the community and myself."
