Sealing review

Baw Baw Shire will review the priority of sealing Weirs Rd, Narracan after receiving a petition from 29 people.

The petition, tabled with council on March 8, called on council to upgrade the currently unsealed road, including roadside drainage, vegetation removal, pavement widening and sealing.

The estimated cost to upgrade and seal the remaining 3.4 kilometres of Weirs Rd is $570,000.

After receiving a report from officers, council agreed to maintain Weirs Rd at its current standard according to the Road Management Plan.

Council also will review the priority for sealing Weirs Rd as part of the road upgrade program during its annual review of the long term infrastructure plan.

In a report to council, officers said there was about 700km of unsealed roads in the shire and there was a long list of local roads with other calls for council to undertake upgrading unsealed roads.

Officers said Weirs Rd was 4.03 kilometres. Two sections of Weirs Rd, totalling 591 metres, have previously been sealed under the former dust suppression program.

Council undertook a gravel resheet on Weirs Rd in 2014/2015 at a cost of $126,000, funded through the Federal Government Roads to Recovery Program.

The works included additional rock on the road surface and minor clearing of road side drains.

In the current 2016/17 budget, council allocated funds to support a road upgrade program to assist in sealing unsealed gaps in the sealed network. Weirs Rd is included on this program and is currently ranked at number 48 of 89 roads.

“The priority list is subject to ongoing review as new requests are received throughout the year,” officers said.

Council’s road management plan classifies Weirs Rd as a local road with routine grading and roadside drains cleared in March.

Cr Darren Wallace said gravel roads was one of his favourite topics.

He said he inspected the road and there was significant surface damage caused by poor drainage.

He said new gravel placed on the road during upgrade works had washed away.

Cr Wallace said Weirs Rd was number 48 on council’s road sealing list so it did not appear to be a priority.

“Gravel roads are a bugbear of mine no matter what ward they are in,” he said.

Cr Michael Leaney said gravel roads made up a large part of the shire.

He said council needed to start going through the process to change them to sealed roads and make sure they were trafficable.

“I know there is a list and a matrix…we need to put effort into ensuring gravel roads are of a high standard,” Cr Leaney said.