Traffic will bypass the Empire Bridge from today and will be moved onto the new temporary bridge beside it.

Vehicles are expected to drive on the temporary bridge for the next six months until the permanent replacement bridge is completed in May next year.

The bypass bridge is two way and has a speed limit of 10 kilometres per hour.

Landholdings Ltd representative John Batty said construction was ahead of schedule. Originally Batty said the bridge would be completed in mid-October.

“We had some leeway for bad weather and if we struck issues with the piling but that didn’t eventuate,” Batty said.

The temporary bridge is capable of holding a 50-ton vehicle with an evenly spread load.

Batty said there would be someone directing traffic onto the temporary bridge today.

Landholdings Ltd will now begin the demolition of the old bridge and construction of the permanent bridge.