By JESSE GRAHAM
ROADS in Coldstream and Monbulk will be updated with more than $1 million in extra federal funding, serving as a stitch in time to prevent problem roads from getting worse.
On Tuesday 22 September, councillors unanimously voted to allocate $1.4 million in funding for works on Coldstream West Road in Coldstream, Gruyere’s Killara Road and Monbulk’s McAllister Road.
According to a council officer’s report for the meeting, the extra funding came from a $1.4 million increase to the council’s Roads to Recovery funding, following the fuel excise.
This funding came in on top of the $3.37 million already allocated to the council for the 2015-’16 financial year – double that of the previous year, and bringing the total funding to $4.81 million.
Coldstream West Road, east of Victoria Road, will have will have $500,000 spent on works, while Killara Road will have $743,542 spent on it, and McAllister Road, south of Old Emerald Road, will have $200,000 spent on works.
Chandler Ward Councillor Jason Callanan said at the meeting that he was “quite passionate” about improving the council’s roads, and that the allocation took “full advantage” of the extra funds.
“We’re in a unique situation at the moment where our Roads to Recovery funding has been doubled in the next couple of years,” Cr Callanan said.
“We must not forget that a lot, if not most of our funding for roads is via rates – this is an opportunity we have with extra money, to increase and better the standard of our roads within the municipality.”
Killara Road is infamous to some for its poor condition – the Mail reported that then-Coldstream CFA Captain John Fenton warned that if work wasn’t undertaken soon, a fatality could easily occur as drivers negotiated crumbling roads and potholes.
The officer’s report noted that the roads were “requiring regular maintenance”, and that not taking action could mean speed reductions, traffic management or road closures in future.
“Taking action now will avoid possible risk of claims for vehicle damage due to potholes and the like,” the report read.
While the motion to approve the funding was passed unanimously, Lyster Ward Councillor Mike Clarke said in future, council should qualify in their reports why roads were chosen for funding.
“Coldstream West Road and Killara Road are roughly continuations of the same road – that’s like 90 per cent of this budget going on one road,” Cr Clarke said.
While noting that the funding seemed “justifiable”, he said the council should clarify its decision to provide funding for the chosen projects.
For more information, or to read the officer’s report in full, visit www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au.
