Romsey’s Stawell Street upgrade planned for completion in June has hit a snag and is now expected to continue into September.
Works began on May 12 for reconstruction of the 130m sealed road section between Main Street and Pohlman Street, footpath kerb and channel, raised safety platform, Pohlman/Stawell Street intersection upgrades, and drainage improvements.
Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s director of assets and operations Dom Testoni said the works were initially expected to take about six weeks but contractors had encountered unforeseen challenges.
“Despite completing all of the usual due diligence prior to construction starting, including geotechnical surveys, progress has been slowed by unforeseen groundwater conditions,” he said.
“Excess moisture in the ground is affecting the stability of the road pavement layers, so extra measures are being undertaken to drain and dry the site before continuing with the works.
“A permanent solution to manage the groundwater and mitigate its long-term impact is also being investigated.”
The works were awarded to local contractor Prendergast Earthmoving and have a budget of $581,000, funded by council and through the Australian Government’s Roads to Recovery Program.
Mr Testoni said as soon as the council and contractor became of the problems and delays, they notified nearby businesses and residents. The council also updated the project information on council’s website.
“We are continuing to work closely with the contractor to prioritise a solution to these drainage issues, though we do expect completion to now extend into late August or September,” he said.
“As disappointing as this situation is, it is important that we take the time to get it right, so we don’t have to come back later and fix it again.
“We apologise to everyone impacted for the ongoing inconvenience and we thank them for their patience – we are confident that the project will benefit all users once complete.”
The contractor is continuing to manage access for residents, the nearby medical centre and other businesses.
