More than a year after a major landslip tore through Federal Drive during the floods, major works to reconstruct the damaged section are finally set to commence.
But it will be at least a year before the road is fully operational, rather four-to-six-months as previously indicated.
Having recently secured nearly $23 million in State government funding to undertake the project, Byron Council awarded the tender for the job in a confidential sitting at last week’s Council meeting.
Work will commence next month, according to the Council, and be completed in 12 months’ time. However, it is hoped that Federal Drive will be open to a single lane of traffic prior to Christmas.
‘It’s one of those ones where we’re constrained by what we, as a Council, face in terms of dealing with the State government and the natural disaster arrangements,’ Mayor Michael Lyon told the meeting.
‘We can’t do anything unless we have funding approved in advance, so we know we’re going to be able to pay for things.
‘It has been painfully slow at times trying to get funding secured across the whole natural disaster space.’
A year after the landslip tore through the road north of Federal Village, it remains unstable and dangerous according to Council staff.
The $23m repair project will include reconstruction of the road, drainage work including the replacement of four culverts, stabilisation of the landslip, revegetation of the slip face, and installation of guard rails.
Until that work is at least partially completed those living in, or travelling through this part of the Shire will need to continue using the detour via Kings Road and Whian Road, or the longer route via Montecollum and Coolamon Scenic Drive.
Work has also finally commenced to repair Whian Rd, which was only passable for vehicles with high clearance because of the many large potholes.
These works are expected to be completed in four weeks.
Re-el4cted Tamara Smith will have more push as the Greens night get the balance of power and maybe funding will be released for all flood damaged roads to be repaired. Don’t hold our breath though. Last time I contacted her office they did not even seem to be aware that the roads were damaged.