After a two-hour community forum in Bermagui residents don't know when work will start on Wallaga Lake Bridge, how long the bridge will be totally closed or the timing of that closure.
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The forum on July 25 was organised by local members Dr Michael Holland and Kristy McBain so that the community could explain to senior representatives from Transport for NSW how the bridge's closure will impact their lives and livelihoods.
Eden-Monaro MP Kristy McBain said the bridge is the artery into the heart of Bermagui so out-of-the-box thinking is needed to "come up with a solution that works for Bermagui businesses and tourism".
Member for Bega Dr Michael Holland said major repair work on the bridge is carried out every 20 to 30 years and addressing concerns raised about access to medical care for the elderly, "we will have a look at things like bringing services to you.
"These are the issues I will be taking to the Minister [Jenny Aitchison] next week," Dr Holland said.
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Steve Buckley, a board member of Merrimans Local Aboriginal Land Council, said they had a separate meeting with Transport for NSW in the morning and came up with options for moving children around such as supplying buses directly from their homes, a small punt or pedestrian access across the bridge.
Transport for NSW director regional community partner, Joanne Parrott, said the two options originally proposed in late May "are just starting points so we can understand the impact and come back with an alternative option and pull together a solution that minimises disruption to the community".
Ben Rawson, the department's senior manager, bridge planning, South region, said it may not be either of the two options proposed but a combination of both.
"Under option 2 we proposed a full closure of two months.
"Since hearing you we have been looking at alternative methods of delivering the work and ways of minimising the disruption," Mr Rawson said.
Transport for NSW said a temporary bridge wasn't feasible - not because of the cost - but because the two-year timeframe for building it did not match the timeline for the maintenance.
However one resident wanted a pontoon bridge to be considered because it solved all the problems that had been raised in the forum.
Mr Rawson said he would take the suggestion to his colleagues "but I will say it is unviable due to the access points on and off in the marine park".
He said they don't have a final plan or a start date yet.
"It is likely we will still do partial closures before Christmas and then delay the full closure."
Ms Parrott said "we should have a final plan in place in the next few weeks".
In response to a question she said they were more than happy to meet again with the community.
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