Two bridges in the City of Wyndham have been given official names to make it easier for them to be located by emergency services.

The bridges have been named after community members – with Ballan Road bridge over the Geelong line now called George Scolaro Bridge and the bridge at Derrimut Road named Nino Arrigo Bridge.

George Scolaro was a concreter and founding member of the Italian Social Club of Werribee and built many landmarks in the area – including the council offices Werribee Police Station, schools, industrial sites and hundreds of house slabs. He also constructed most of the bridges in Werribee, including the Werribee Street Bridge across the river and the ford in Cottrell Street.

Nino Arrigo was an active member of the Werribee Rotary club for more than 40 years and rode a bicycle from Perth to Melbourne, raising $160,000 for cancer research. He went to school in the area, played football for Werribee and Hoppers Crossing, and operated Werribee Glass and Glazing for 42 years, a business that remains in his family today.

The bridges names were chosen through VicTrack’s Bridge Naming Competition – with locals asked to nominate names for the bridges that commemorate a community member or event, and follow the criteria set out by the Office of Geographic Names.

As well as the bridges at Derrimut Road and Ballan Road, the latest round of the Bridge Naming Competition asked people to name bridges at Doherty’s Road, Davis Road and Leakes Road.

All five bridges were built as part of the Regional Rail Link Project and look very similar, which could make it hard to tell them apart in an emergency. Naming the bridges gives them unique identities, making them easier to locate.

As the Leakes Road bridge only received one eligible nomination, VicTrack is seeking any further nominations before voting will occur for the final name.

VicTrack is also continuing ask people to nominate names for the bridges at Davis Road and Dohertys Road.

For more information and to nominate a name visit: victrack.com.au/bridge.

Quotes attributable to Member for Werribee Tim Pallas

“It’s great to see these bridges have been named after local people who gave so much to the Werribee community.” “I encourage people to continue to nominate names for the bridges at Leakes Road, Davis Road and Doherty’s Road, so all five bridges can get a unique identity.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Tarneit Sarah Connolly

“George Scolaro and Nino Arrigo’s contributions to the community will now be remembered for decades to come.” “There is still a chance for people to put forward names for three more bridges, so other local figures can be commemorated well into the future.”