Looking forward to 2020

We’ve received grant funding for the upgrade of five roads to create a heavy duty transport link connecting Harwood Marine Precinct to the Pacific Highway.

We’ll contract this work out and it’s scheduled to be completed by the end of the 2019/20 financial year.

The work will be carried out in stages, including relocation of utilities, upgrading drainage structures and ancillary items, and finally road construction to upgrade road pavements and widen roads to provide an 8m wide sealed road.

After 12 months of trials on the Lawrence – Tullymorgan Road, we're starting to see results from our unsealed road maintenance trials.

Over the next year we're planning to extend the trials to other sections of unsealed roads in other parts of the Clarence Valley to see how the various types of gravel material and gravel treatments perform over time, and in different conditions.

The trials will run for two years and the results will be used to determine how we manage and maintain our network of unsealed roads into the future.

Background

Two sections of the Lawrence – Tullymorgan Road have been used to trial a range of surface treatments over a two year period from 2018-2020. Each road segment was brought up to an initial standard with 6% cross-fall on the road and 100 mm of local gravel. Various treatments were then applied to the gravelled sections, and monitored monthly.

This video shows the trials in more detail:

The next 12 months are exciting times at the Grafton Regional Gallery as we embark on a major extension to the gallery, as part of the Create NSW Regional Cultural Fund. 

We anticipate construction will begin this year, with completion estimated to be in the later half of 2020. 

During construction the back half of the gallery site will be out of action, but Grafton Regional Gallery will continue to be a hub of creativity with regular exhibitions, workshops, events, openings and artist talks all held at the Prentice House site. 

We're also planning to take the gallery on the road to other parts of the Clarence Valley during the construction phase.

Here's a look at the SRV-funded works we're planning for 2020:

Resurfacing Pound Street 

We're getting Pound Street ready for the anticipated increase in traffic flow it will see when the new Grafton Bridge opens in 2020. The asphaltic concrete (AC) surface requires renewal between Villiers Street and Prince Street.

The work totalling $544,000 will involve milling off the existing AC surface and replacing it with the new surface.

Preparing for road resealing

Resealing a road is a two step process, with preparation work commencing the year preceding the reseal. 

Over the next 12 months you’ll see reseal preparation work totalling $486,800 in Rsl Lane in Yamba, Through and Tyson Streets in South Grafton, and Plain Station Road in Mookima Wybra. 

Reseals

By 2020 we're planning to seal over 2km of Swallow Road and also 6km of Kangaroo Creek Rd from Armidale Road. This work will be completed in October – December 2019 and totals $371,000.

Capital Program

We're planning to reconstruct and widen a 2.2km section of Old Glen Innes Road, located generally between Oneils Road and Chillumbarringa Road. This is a continuation of other widening works undertaken on Old Glen Innes Road over previous years.

Yamba Road, Oyster Creek Channel

There has been some erosion on Yamba Road at Shallow Channel that requires rock armouring to stabilise the road embankment.

The guardrail near Oyster Channel Bridge requires some repair and upgrade to bring it up to current standards.

There is also some deterioration of the road pavement approaching Oyster Channel.  We’ll be undertaking this work in 2020 and have allocated $155,000 in SRV funds. 

Burnt Hut Creek Bridge 

The timber superstructure on Burnt Hut Creek Bridge on Bald Hills Road has deteriorated to the point that it needs replacing.  We plan to replace the timber deck and girders with a concrete deck.  The existing concrete abutments are in good condition and will be retained. The budget for this work is $232,000. 

Walkway for Pacific Parade, Yamba

There has been concern expressed over a number of years about the lack of pedestrian access along Pacific Parade in Yamba. We’ve allocated $50,000 to design a shared walkway through Agar Park and connecting to the lower part of Pacific Parade. 

The available road reserve area does not allow for a pathway to be constructed beside the road. 

To keep up to date on our SRV-funded works visit our website HERE. 

Four intersections along Yamba Road will be upgraded to improve traffic flow and safety, thanks to grant funding we received this year.

Concept plans for the four intersections are:

• Yamba Road and River Road, Palmers Island – intersection upgrade

• Yamba Road and Treelands Drive – mini-roundabout

• Yamba Road and Carrs Drive – mini-roundabout

• Yamba Road and Shores Drive - roundabout

Works planned for next year include detailed designs for each intersection including community consultation and approvals, relocation of utilities, and the phased construction of intersection works.

The Charles Street car park in Iluka has been an issue raised by the Iluka community for a number of years.  Next year we plan to upgrade the car park.

Proposed works include installation of kerb around the car park area, improved drainage, and rehabilitation and sealing of car park area, including access.

In 2020 we're planning to seal the 900m gravel section of James Creek Road, at the Yamba Road end.  Preliminary designs have been completed and over the next 12 months you'll see:

• Tree removal to facilitate road widening (kept to a minimum);

• Widening drainage culverts to suit the new road formation;

• Road widening;

• Gravel overlay of the new road formation, and;

• Road sealing.