Gravel resheeting for 16 local roads

More than 34 kilometres of unsealed roads will undergo gravel re-sheeting works as part of a $1.1 million tender awarded by Baw Baw Shire last week.

Council awarded the tender to Pakenham based Downer Edi Works Pty Ltd to undertake its unsealed road re-sheeting contract for the 2017-18 year.

Sixteen roads totalling 34.2 kilometres will undergo re-sheeting works in the contract.

Sections of the following roads are included in the schedule: Briggs Rd, Nilma North; Camp Creed Rd, Farrell Rd, Williams Rd and Paynter Rd, Hill End; Greenshield Rd, Drouin; Hick Rd, Hallora; Laing Rd, Nayook; Mills Rd, Coalville; Mountain View Rd, Mountain View; Old Sale Rd, Willow Grove; Schofields Rd, Narracan; and, Boola Bool Rd, Yallourn North.

Three roads also have been included as provisional items subject to the budget including Ashdows Rd, Drouin, Hawkey Rd, Drouin and Lewis Rd, Ripplebrook.

The contract includes re-sheeting the roads with 100mm of compacted, class three crushed rock.

“The addition of crushed rock to enhance the unsealed road pavement will improve the overall comfort of the road users.

“The roads will degrade at a slower rate and reduced maintenance activities are likely required following completion of the works,” the report said.

The report to council said council’s allocated budget for gravel road re-sheets was $17,000 short of the tender price. The deficit will be considered as part of council’s mid-year budget review. Council received 10 tenders for the works. Cr Darren Wallace said the tenders were evaluated and this was considered the best value for money.

“Every dollar spent on roads is money well spent,” he said.

Cr Wallace said many gravel roads had deteriorated because of poor profiled and poor drainage.

He said the majority of the roads listed for resheets were in the east ward.

“I look forward to the day that our preventative maintenance takes over our reactive maintenance,” he said.

Cr Peter Kostos said Greenshield Rd had been a bone of contention for some time so it was good to see works being done.

Cr Michael Leaney said there was a broad spread of works throughout the east ward. “I hope the residents appreciate these works being done for them,” he said.