The bridge spanning the Murrumbidgee River between Carrathool and the Sturt Highway was completed in 1924. It is an Allan-type timber truss road bridge, and has a bascule-type lift span supported on cylindrical iron piers, designed to allow river-craft to pass. Only three bascule lift span bridges remain in NSW, and the Carrathool bridge is the only one of these in a timber truss road bridge. The Carrathool bridge was constructed in response to public pressure for a bridge to replace the river vehicular punt Funding for work was drawn partly from the local community, and partly from the Department of Public Works. The requirement that local residents pay for half the cost of the bridge "was deplored by the then Mayor of Hay, who was a vocal advocate for the rights and the development of the Riverina region". Carrathool Bridge is an Allan-type timber truss single-lane road bridge with a steel lift span. It has two timber truss spans, each of . There are three timber approach spans at each end giving the bridge an overall length of . The lift span is of the Bascule type and is supported on cylindrical twin iron piers. The timber truss spans are supported on timber trestles. The bridge provides a carriage way with a minimum width of . A timber post and rail guard rail extends the full length of the bridge. Up until its closure in 2019, the bridge was in intact condition.  , the NSW Roads and Maritime Services announced that the heritage-listed Carrathool Bridge would be removed from the New South Wales conservation list of bridges. It's immediate conservation future is unclear. Completed in 1922, the Carrathool bridge is an Allan-type timber truss road bridge, and has a rare Bascule type lift span to allow river craft to pass. In 1998 it was in good condition. As a timber truss road bridge, it has many associational links with important historical events, trends, and people, including the expansion of the road network and economic activity throughout NSW, and Percy Allan, the designer of this type of truss. Allan trusses were third in the five-stage design evolution of NSW timber truss bridges, and were a major improvement over the McDonald trusses which preceded them. Allan trusses were 20% cheaper to build than McDonald trusses, could carry 50% more load, and were easier to maintain. The Bascule lift span is a rare feature, and has associational links with the historic river trade, and has much to reveal about late 19th century civil engineering and manufacturing technology.