Road rehabs underway across Corangamite

Published on 05 December 2023

The $9.45 million 2023-2024 roads program is well underway across Corangamite Shire.

Director Works and Services Brooke Love said Council has already completed a 1 km rehabilitation of Vite Vite Road in Derrinallum and a 1 km rehabilitation of Castle Carey Road in Boorcan this financial year.

“Our crews have just about completed a 1.6 km rehab job in Sisters Noorat Road, Noorat and a 0.7 km job in Chocolyn Settlement Road, Chocolyn, and are about to start a rehab on Old Geelong Road,” Mrs Love said.

“Other major rehabilitation projects in the current capital works program include works on Wiridgil and Glenfyne Brucknell roads.”

Another 66 km of local roads across Corangamite Shire will be resealed in the new year.

Mrs Love said that was about 7% of the Shire’s sealed local road network.

“Council maintains 914 km of sealed local roads which need periodic sealing to maintain the surface and stop water getting in and weakening the underlying pavement.

“The new surface has a lifespan of about 15 years but all of our local roads are resurfaced well before their use-by date.”

Council crews will do any patching that might be needed before the sealing contractor arrived, so the underlying pavement is in good condition before the protective seal is applied.

A condition assessment in 2020 found 99% of Council’s local sealed roads were in adequate condition.  Council will be again collecting road condition data in the new year.

Mayor Kate Makin said Council awarded the contract for sealing of various local roads throughout Corangamite Shire and Warrnambool City in 2023-2024.

“For the past eight years we have cooperated with Warrnambool City Council to share resources and have both our annual sealing programs done under one contract,” Cr Makin said.

“This has been more efficient and reduced costs for both Councils.

“The contractor will source accommodation, meals and fuel locally for their crews during the works which will have flow-on benefits for our local economy.”

The Corangamite portion of the $2,761,820 (plus GST) contract will cost $2,139,404, which is $39,596 under budget.

Cr Makin said the savings would be put towards other road maintenance activities.

She said Council remained committed to maintaining local roads and advocating to the State and Federal Governments for further improvements to the arterial road network.

For a map and list of roads to be resealed during this year’s program, go to www.corangamite.vic.gov.au/sealing-program.