There’s just 300 metres and one railway crossing left to connect heavy vehicles from Bogan Gate Road to the Newell Highway.
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But the Northern heavy vehicle bypass has hit a $500,000 speed hump.
Council has been informed that the rail crossing on Daroobalgie Road will require lights – and possibly advance lights around the corner – to be approved for use by road trains.
In a supplementary paper presented to councillors at last Thursday’s October meeting, Council’s manager of engineering services said the work was expected to cost about half a million dollars.
“This amount was not allowed for in the original scope of works and therefore there is a funding shortfall,” the manager wrote.
The Northern heavy vehicle bypass starts at Bogan Gate Road, continues along Lima Road, Limestone Road, Dawes Road, Calarie-Daroobalgie Road and connects to the Newell Highway.
Work on the $4.3 million project started early 2015 and was expected to be complete this year.
Mayor Graeme Miller said in May the bypass would cut 80 kilometres from the journey for road train and B-double drivers coming to Forbes from that direction – particularly to the saleyards.
Council staff suggested using $500,000 of Roads to Recovery funding to upgrade the rail crossing and complete the bypass.
“Roads to Recovery can be allocated to a project that improves heavy vehicle access and safety,” the manager wrote.
But councillors did not support the proposal.
“I will speak vehemently against using our Roads to Recovery money which we need for local roads,” Cr Phyllis Miller said.
Councillors voted to defer a decision “pending further negotiation with the ARTC”.
Acting general manager Max Kershaw said the crossing was ARTC infrastructure and Council would approach State and Federal representatives.
But the ARTC said whoever was running a project that changed the “risk profile” of a crossing, such as upgrading it to a road train route, was usually responsible.
“Typically, in these types of instances, the funding for improvements lies with the roading authority (i.e. Council) if it is their project that has changed the risk profile or introduced new risks to a railway level crossing,” a spokesperson said.
Forbes received $7.811 million in Roads to Recovery funding to spend over five years to the 2018/19 financial year.
Funds are being spent on Battye Street, the reconstruction of 3km of Wirrinya Road and reliagnment of Driftway Road.
