By Casey Neill
Road improvements took the spotlight at the first Yarra Ranges Council meeting for the year.
Councillors awarded contracts to resurface MacIntyre Lane in Yering and upgrade Myers Creek Road in Healesville at their Tuesday 22 January meeting.
They also voted to seek feedback on a proposed special charge scheme to build Rue De Gare and Prospect Road, Wandin North.
Cr Fiona McAlister said MacIntyre Lane users were going to be very happy, as the road surface had been an ongoing challenge.
Cr Richard Higgins said the lane had been in need of repair for a number of years, that the sub-base was not right in a number of areas.
The project will involve ripping up, milling and relaying the existing pavement as road base.
It would then be treated with foam bitumen and cement, additional crushed rock and asphalt surfacing to produce the final road pavement.
Councillors awarded the $2 million contract to Bitu-Mill (Civil), to be funded through the council’s Capital Expenditure Program – Asset Renewal Reserves Account.
Works are expected to start in February and be completed before 30 June.
“Traditional patch treatments have proven costly and short wearing,” the council report said.
“Driver safety will be improved and will result in savings by having a long term treatment of this section of road.”
The Myers Creek Road project will include a road surface upgrade and drainage works.
Cr Terry Avery said the road was classified as rural.
“But it’s a very much used road, particularly by tourists and motorbike riders like myself,” he said.
Councillors awarded the $1 million contract to QR Construction (Gippsland).
The council report said up to $1.2 million was available from Road Rehabilitation Projects and Blackspot funding.
Works are anticipated to start this month.
The council surveyed landowners along Rue De Gare and Prospect Road in August 2016 to determine support for a landowner-funded Special Charge Scheme to construct the roads, following a petition from residents.
The council report said landowners showed a significant level of support, and would now be notified of intent to levy a special charge and invited to make submissions.
The landowner contribution to the $956,690 project would be about $528,507.
Thirty-nine landowners (83 per cent) responded to that 2016 survey, with 24 in support and 14 against.
The local roads are about 645 metres in combined length and connect abutting properties to the Warburton Highway.
