Geoff Helisma |
Clarence Valley Council staff tabled a report at yesterday’s council meeting, May 28, that warned of “accelerated deterioration” of Yamba Road due to unforseen demands on the road, as a result of “multiple development sites [occurring] at the same time”.
“In the past 6 months the road pavement of Yamba Road between Palmers Island and Yamba has deteriorated as a result of the truck haulage to various developments in the Yamba area,” the report stated.
The likely resultant pavement renewal, staff wrote, “will require funding and will potentially have to be undertaken at the expense of other works that would have been planned for that time”.
Significant truck movements to and from developments requiring fill in Carrs Drive are largely responsible.
The construction of roundabouts is planned for four intersections along Yamba Road: Yamba Street at Palmers Island, and Treelands, Carrs and Shores drives in Yamba.
These roundabouts are funded by a $4.4 million Growing Local Economies Fund grant from the NSW Government – they must be completed within two-years of the grant being awarded.
Staff advised that construction of the three intersection treatments in Yamba “will be challenging whilst under significant heavy vehicle traffic”.
“It is envisaged that the filling works to the Carrs Drive area will continue for quite some time, which will result in the pavement design of the Carrs Drive and Yamba Road intersection being planned to accommodate increased axle loading early in the pavement life,” the report stated.
On the actual road pavement between the intersections, staff warned: “It is highly likely that due to the accelerated deterioration of the road pavement that the renewal of Yamba Road will be required earlier than proposed in Council’s asset management plans.
“With regard to the Carrs Drive and Yamba Road intersection, it is almost certain that if filling continues at its current rate over an extended time period that pavement renewal works will be required at this intersection much earlier than would be expected of a pavement that experiences a normal spread of axle loadings during its designed life.”
Funding for the Palmers Island intersection and the reconstruction of the road to the new Romiaka Bridge is included in CVC’s draft 2019/20 budget.
Staff advised councillors that CVC “needs to be proactive in seeking grant funds to upgrade the section of Yamba Road between Romiaka Bridge and Oyster Channel Bridge as opportunities arise” and that “there will most likely be increased expenditure on the minor heavy patching works on the section of Yamba Road between Palmers Island and Oyster Channel Bridge”.
There are currently six subdivisions underway which are contributing to wear and tear on Yamba Road: Yamba Quays; Beachside at the corner of River Street and Rocky Laurie Drive; and, four large developments in Carrs Drive.
Staff reported that “the Carrs Drive subdivisions are taking advantage of the availability of excess fill material being available from the Pacific Highway upgrade works.
“This, along with the other materials being transported from and to the Witonga Drive and Beachside sites has lead to an accelerated deterioration of the aged section of Yamba Road between the Romiaka Bridge and the Oyster Channel Bridge.”