Council is pressing on with its planned works, despite the persistent wet weather which continues to soak the region.

The concrete deck on the new Methvens Bridge was poured last week and the crew are installing the barrier rail as rain showers allow. Council hopes to have the bridge open to traffic by the end of the week, but that will be dependent on the weather.

Once traffic can use the bridge, Council will remove the side track and install guardrail.

The new Montgomerys Bridge also is taking shape, with installation of the centre span girders scheduled for this week. Each girder measures 24.5m in length and weighs more than 29 tonnes.

The installation process is a highly coordinated operation involving Council, the transport contractor and the crane operator. Each of the pre-cast girders requires escorted transport on extendable trailers from Brisbane and the use of a 250-tonne crane to position them on the bridge.

Following installation of the girders, the crew will commence construction of the final abutment.

Piling works are progressing on the Clarks Lane footbridge, with one pile installed on the Clarks Lane side of the river.

Once all the piles on that side are completed, the piling rig will shift to the Daleys Lane side of the river.

Work is continuing on flood damage repairs including:

• Landslip remediation on Lions Road – earthworks have been completed, with concreting and planting of native trees to be undertaken.
• Landslip remediation on Gradys Creek Road – mostly completed, with the re-instating of the job site the last of the works to be undertaken.
• Road repairs Lions Road – sealing works are almost complete, line marking still outstanding.
• Road repairs Gradys Creek Road –overlay and drainage works are progressing with stabilising to happen next week if the weather allows.
• Landslip Iron Pot Creek Road – Council is monitoring the slip daily and reinstating the road when necessary.
• Landslip remediation on Forest Road – work on the slip is completed, however a culvert still has to be installed.
• Landslip remediation on Horseshoe Creek Road – work to replace a pipe was scheduled to occur this week but was weather dependent.
• Landslip remediation on Hillyards Road – repairs are due to start next week but are weather dependent.
• Preliminary works are being carried out on a landslip on Baileys Bridge Road and a second landslip on Gradys Creek Road.

Meanwhile, Council, on behalf of Transport for NSW, is undertaking heavy patching works on the Summerland Way south of Wiangaree.

On the local roads front, a construction crew is undertaking rehabilitation works on Lindsay Creek Road and grading crews are working, when the weather allows, on Hootons Road and Collins Creek Road. Roadside slashing is happening on Fawcett Plain Road and Old Grafton Road.

Potholes are being patched on the Bruxner Highway,  while kerb and gutter works are continuing in Koorelah Street, Bonalbo.

On the Clarence Way, guardrail installation and line marking was scheduled to start at the end of this week, however the work is dependent the weather.

Over the past eight years, Council has adopted a series of progressive initiatives to stimulate development, open up housing and industrial lots, and make it easier to do business in the Kyogle local government area.

This has included the waiver of development contributions and service changes and investing millions of dollars in infrastructure upgrades across Council’s road and bridge network.

However, all too often we see people with the very best intentions start a project before they understand if their project is legally able to proceed.

Kyogle Mayor Cr Danielle Mulholland said this can easily be avoided by contacting Council first.

“Kyogle Council encourages anyone planning a project to get in touch as early as possible to ensure the project meets requirements from the outset and can proceed without issues,”  Cr Mulholland said.

“As well as actively pursuing managed growth and delivering a record investment in infrastructure, Council works with individuals and business to help them achieve their objectives.”

Information packs for various developments from single dwellings to subdivisions are available on the Council website and staff are available to meet with people and businesses to discuss their projects and the best way to progress them.

And while Council is committed to supporting the community, it also has a responsibility to ensure statutory requirements are met. Where this is not the case, Council will take appropriate steps to follow up and address any non-compliance.

By ensuring statutory requirements are met, Council helps maintain community standards and provides a fair and consistent framework for everyone undertaking a project. This protects both applicants and the community and ensures projects are completed safely and appropriately.

Anyone wanting information about Council’s planning and community development services can search the Planning and Development pages on Council’s website or phone Council on 6632 1611.

Council is pushing ahead with its works program despite the ongoing wet weather.

Work to repair the final landslip on Lions Road which occurred during the 2022 flood event is moving forward, even though the wet weather has caused some delays. Similarly, while sealing works on Lions Road are almost complete, final stabilisation works are being held up by the rain.

It’s the same story on Gradys Creek Road with overlay and stabilisation works progressing, even with delays caused by the ongoing wet.

The slip on Iron Pot Creek Road continues to be monitored daily, with some movement detected with the recent rain. Workers are back on site to keep the road open.

In other landslip repair projects:

• Forest Road – works are progressing.
• Horseshoe Creek Road – trees have been removed in preparation for pipe replacements.
• Hillyards Road – mulching is in progress, with repairs expected to start in the next few weeks.

Council currently has three bridge projects on the go:

• Methvens Bridge – crews are working on the reinforced concrete deck with a concrete pour scheduled for early next week, weather permitting.
• Montgomerys Bridge – all pier superstructure works have been completed, with Council preparing for the first concrete abutment pour late this week, weather permitting. Once this has been completed, focus will shift to the first stage of the girder installation.
• Clarkes Lane Footbridge – work is underway to establish platforms for the piling rig, with piling expected to start later this week, weather permitting. This will involve drilling and pouring four 1.2m diameter concrete piles, each socketed more than five meters into the underlying basalt bedrock.

Council has completed Transport for NSW funded upgrades on the Summerland Way at The Risk, while culvert replacement works are continuing just south of the NSW/Queensland border. On the Bruxner Highway at Mallanganee, crews are undertaking a culvert replacement and minor pavement rehabilitation.

On the road maintenance front, Council crews are grading Hootons Road, Sextonville Road, and Lindsay Creek Road, while roadside slashing is planned for Bentley Road and Afterlee Road.

Another maintenance grading crew will be brought on-line to work on Collins Creek Road as soon as the weather allows.

Potholes are being patched on the Bruxner Highway and Clarence Way, while Koorelah Street, Bonalbo, is being targeted for some kerb and gutter works.

Clarence Way upgrades south of Bonalbo including bridge approaches at the Bottle Creek Road section and sealing works on the Medhurst Quarry section are now completed, with line marking on hold due to the wet weather.

Work crews are continuing to upgrade sections of Clarence Way.

A pavement upgrade on the Medhurst Quarry section of the road south of Bonalbo has started and will be ongoing for the next three weeks.

Another crew working on Clarence Way north of Bonalbo has finished sealing a section of the road, with line-marking still to completed.

Both jobs are expected to be finalised in May.

Meanwhile, planning work has started on an upcoming project to upgrade of another 3.4kms of the Clarence Way between Bonalbo and Urbenville. Council has received a $5 million grant through the Australian Government’s Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program to undertake the work, which will include improvements to drainage, replacement of culverts, and upgrades to the pavement and ride quality of three separate sections the road.

Grading crews are currently working on Bolans Road and Hootons Road, and roadside slashing is occurring on Kyogle, Williams and Findon Creek roads.

Pothole patching is happening on the Summerland Way and Gradys Creek Road.

The new Montgomerys Bridge on Iron Pot Creek Road is starting to take shape, with work to start soon on constructing the headstock. The expected completion date for the bridge is the end of August, weather permitting.

Preparatory works are continuing for the new Methvens Bridge on Gradys Creek Road, with construction of the side track still in progress.

Repairs to the final landslip on Lions Road caused by the 2022 floods are in progress, as are repairs to Lions Road. Lions Road was re-opened under traffic control on Tuesday.  Motorists are reminded that the Lions Road is a scenic drive, not a main road, and should not be used by caravans or other heavy traffic.

Once repairs to the final section of Lions Road are completed, the road rehabilitation crew will move on to Gradys Creek Road, with the repair sites under traffic control.

Council continues to monitor the landslip on Iron Pot Creek Road, while work on the Forest Road landslip is progressing  and repair work has started on a landslip on Horseshoe Creek Road.

Work on Summerland Way at The Risk and 1.5km south of the Queensland border is continuing.

The new Cedargetters Bridge on Gradys Creek Road is expected to open to traffic next week.

Once opened, the bridge crew will remove the sidetrack and complete work on the approaches.

Council’s other bridge crews are working on:

• Methvens Bridge on Gradys Creek Road – work has started on the side track.
• Montgomerys Bridge on Iron Pot Creek Road – work on the piers is now complete, with progress being made on the pier headstocks. Work on the concrete abutments will start after Easter.

Council’s grading and slashing crews have been active this week, working throughout the local government area.

One of the grading crews is working on Bolans Road and is expected to be finished there today. Another crew is working on Old Lawrence Road, with work there to continue until the end of next week. That grading crew will then move to Hootons Road.

Roadside slashing is occurring on Findon Creek Road and Peacock Creek Road. Fawcetts Plain Road and Tunglebung Creek Road are next to be slashed.

Repairs to the final landslip on Lions Road caused by the 2022 floods are ongoing, as are repairs to Lions Road. The work includes stabilising and sealing the road pavement. Lions Road remains closed from Murphy Standfield Bridge to the border.

Council continues to monitor the landslip on Iron Pot Creek Road, while work on the Forest Road landslip is expected to start next week. Grading on Simes Road and Forest Road is due to be completed this week,

Work on Summerland Way at The Risk and 1.5km south of the Queensland border is continuing.

On the Clarence Way, pavement work has started on the Medhurst Quarry section of the road south of Bonalbo and will continue for about five weeks. Sealing work and heavy patching is underway north of Bonalbo. It is expected to be completed, weather permitting, in May.

Council is working to re-open Lions Road as soon as we possibly can, but unfortunately it won’t be in time for Easter.

It’s hoped, weather permitting, the road that will be open mid-April.

The complex work required to repair seven major landslips which occurred during the 2022 floods coupled with persistent wet weather and safety considerations have meant the road has had to remain closed longer than initial estimates.

When the road does re-open, it will be under traffic control.

Looking ahead, Council is planning further repairs later in the year to stabilise additional landslips on Lions Road caused by Cyclone Alfred. This will require a temporary re closure of the road once funding and approvals are in place.

Council will provide as much advance notice as possible to keep residents and motorists informed.

Council’s grading, slashing and road and bridge construction crews are all making the most of the fine weather this week.

Grading crews are working on Imesons, Rices, Richmond Range and Old Lawrence roads, while roadside slashing is happening along Kyogle, Fawcetts Plain, Sextonville and  Edenville roads as well as the Clarence Way.

Pothole patching is also happening on Clarence Way.

Council’s three bridge crews are working on:

• Benns Bridge on Iron Pot Creek Road – The deck has been poured and the bridge approaches are now under construction. The bridge is expected to be finished at the end of next week. Once it is open to traffic, the crew will move to Gradys Creek Road to start work on the new Methvens Bridge.
• Montgomerys Bridge on Iron Pot Creek Road – Work is progressing on capping the piles. The bridge is expected to be completed by late August.
• Cedargetters Bridge on Gradys Creek Road – Packing beams that will accommodate the new deck have been installed, with the pre-cast girders expected to arrive on site next week. The new bridge is expected to be open to traffic at the end of April.

Repairs to landslips on Lions Road, Kyogle Road, and Gradys Creek Road are continuing with the Kyogle Road and Gradys Creek Road projects expected to be finished by the end of March.

Landslips on Lynches Creek Road and Ettrick Road have been successfully remediated.

Work to repair flood damage on Lions and Gradys Creek Roads started last month and is expected to take to the end of April to finalise.

Lions Road remains closed at the Murphy Standfield Bridge, with Council and contractors doing everything practical to re-open the road as soon as possible.

Work to widen the Summerland Way at The Risk and improve drainage and upgrade safety measures is continuing.

The Clarence Way Project is drawing to a close, with just one crew working south of Bonalbo. The funded work is expected to be completed, weather permitting, in May, with Council continuing to lobby for extra money to complete the upgrade of the entire length of the road.