General News
16 June, 2024
Bridge damage 'before the floods'
THE State Government refused funds to repair the Chamberlains Road bridge after assessors decided most damage was before the October 2022 floods. Residents near the bridge, between Inglewood and Bridgewater, saw access from the Calder Highway...
THE State Government refused funds to repair the Chamberlains Road bridge after assessors decided most damage was before the October 2022 floods.
Residents near the bridge, between Inglewood and Bridgewater, saw access from the Calder Highway suddenly closed a fortnight ago.
They have since erected protect signs on the damaged crossing.
A Loddon Shire Council spokesperson said Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangement assessors rejected council’s application for money and decided “as their position is that the majority of the damage to the bridge was pre-existing due to age. It is estimated repairs will cost $120,000.
“Council is now considering the option to self-fund the replacement of the Chamberlains Road bridge through council’s annual infrastructure program to be presented at the June council meeting,” the spokesperson said.
“Additionally, Council will consider making an extra funding contribution to upgrade the bridge as part of the works.
“The proposed upgrades include installing box culverts to replace the existing pipes to improve flow in the drain, widening the road to improve access for heavy vehicles and trucks, and installing additional road safety barriers to improve safety. A design has been completed for this project which will allow the project to begin early in the 2024-2025 financial year.”
Loddon Shire gained approval for the immediate reconstruction works period that followed the October 2022 flood event with 12 packages totalling $3,897,236 given the tick.
“Most of the value of these works has been claimed through the DRFA process with only $3149 of claims rejected,” the spokesperson said.
“All 34 remaining packages of work for the October 2022 flood event have been submitted through the DRFA’s Reconstruction of Essential Public Assets submission process. Two packages of this work have been assessed to date which resulted in approvals for $331,000 of works.”
The council is also at odds with accessors of the standard of road surface resheeting.
“The approval of further gravel resheet packages of work has been delayed as council continues to negotiate with the DRFA to resolve the difference in preferred treatment on Council’s gravel road network. Council’s proposed treatment of a 100mm resheet is considered excessive by the DRFA. However, this is council’s standard resheet treatment,”
The Loddon Herald understands that assessors are wanting to provide funds for a 75mm resheet.
The State Government was contacted for an update on when the outstanding recovery work packets from October 2022 floods would be processed and why it backed a lesser standard resheet.
The Government was asked why roads should be repaired to a lesser standard than before the October 2022 floods and why 100mm was considered excessive.
A response had not been received when this week’s edition went to press.