Roads open but many hazards demand extreme care

13 April 2017

Some slips still moving, stone and gravel debris, soft edges and potholes

All Council roads bar two are trafficable and all communities have access in and out of their properties.

Council has successfully negotiated to push a temporary track through private property to restore access around the catastrophic failure of Manns Road at Rowlands Creek. This work will start after Easter.

Investigations are continuing in how to repair Lone Pine Road at Doon Doon, where one property is isolated.

Council will install temporary traffic lights on Clothiers Creek Road to improve safety at the one-lane section skirting a major landslip.

Council advises that while Mount Warning Road is trafficable as far as the National Parks gate and businesses there are open, the summit track is closed to visitors as repairs to scours and slip damage are being undertaken.

Road repairs will continue on Mount Warning Road over the next month as Council works to restore this important tourist destination in sync with the National Parks and Wildlife Service restoring the walking track.

At the request of National Parks, traffic controllers will be mobilised to Mount Warning Road to stop pedestrians walking through the roadwork sites to get into the National Park.

Council is continuing to retrieve materials from the washed-away Byrrill Creek bridge to rebuild a temporary one-lane timber bridge on the same alignment to restore more direct access for this community while assessing options for a permanent replacement bridge.

The temporary bridge will take at least one month to build so residents are advised that they will have to continue travelling via Tyalgum, or Cadell and Kyogle roads until then.

While roads are now trafficable, many are not in good condition and motorists should drive expecting multiple hazards.

Not only are some of the landslips still moving but road edges are soft and temporary patching of road scours and potholes may deteriorate quickly. Council expects it will take several weeks to clear topside slips.

Motorists also are advised to expect gravel and stone deposits on roads and to avoid hitting this type of debris at speed.

Over the past two weeks, Council has worked beyond its normal road maintenance limits to clear property access routes through road reserves. However, it cannot clear access routes on private property and owners are advised to contact the Recovery Centre by telephoning 6670 2133 for advice on what options they may have.