Burragorang Rd, Back Creek Repair Update

Major Repair work at Back Creek, Burragorang Road has been given urgent priority in the storm clean up under way across the Wollondilly Shire.

The design has been progressed, early preparation is under way and the timetable for the permanent reconstruction is now finalised.

Due to the need to prioritise Sydney Water works and the nature of the reconstruction, Burragorang Road between The Oaks and Oakdale is planned to be re-opened in July 2020, weather permitting, with every effort being made to open it even sooner.

It is anticipated that the entire repair project will cost approximately $1.2 million.

Council will consider safety improvements at this location as part of the project.

The priority is to re-open the road as soon as possible so Council is planning to reconstruct the road and upgrade the culvert.

Council is also simultaneously investigating the feasibility of constructing a bridge.

However, building a bridge and straightening the road would likely take up to two years and cost millions of dollars more, delaying the opening of the road for residents and taking funding away from the post storm repair schedule for the rest of the road network.

Sydney Water has been working on site to restore essential services to the community and should hand the site over to Council in the next few weeks.

Mayor Matthew Deeth said, “As soon as the site is handed over to Council we are ready to start work.”

“The geotechnical assessment is done, survey is done, the flood study is done and we are now working on the road design and final drafting.”

“A site briefing was held last week and contractors have been shortlisted for the construction.”

“A re-design of the culvert is required to ensure that this doesn’t happen again. Standards have changed since it was first built 45 or so years ago,” he said.

Once work starts, the construction phase of the project is expected to take approximately 12 weeks with another 6 weeks of work on road maintenance and revegetation.

Mayor Deeth said, “The design effort, cost and timeframes required to construct a bridge are much more than the embankment construction and in the short term will not meet the immediate community need to reopen the road as soon as possible.”

“However, we will look at the feasibility of a bridge as a longer term option.”

The culvert and road had been washed away by the enormous quantity of stormwater which ran down the creek during the storm event of 9 February. Trees upstream were also dislodged by the strength of the water flow.

The storm caused serious damage to the entire road network and Council has been working hard to carry out repairs with the safety of the community in mind.

Diversions are in place for light vehicles along Binalong Rd and Russell Lane. Council has carried out repairs to the road edges and installed line-marking to improve delineation of the detour route.

Council has been monitoring the alternate route and carrying out repairs as required. A detour route for heavy vehicles is via Montpelier Drive.