By Eleanor Wilson
Sections of Pakenham’s Bald Hill Road will join two other local roads in a $1.7 million road renewal project aimed at repairing the shire’s most notorious road surfaces.
Cardinia Shire councillors voted to elect Downer EDI Works Pty Ltd to undertake the repaving works, which will cover Bald Hill Road in two sections, between Ryan Road South and McDonalds Drain Road and for a 150-metre stretch surrounding Coop Road.
Sections of Nine Mile Road in Tynong and Seven Mile Road in Kooweerup North/Nar Nar Goon and will also undergo renewal works, Cardinia Shire councillors voted unanimously at a 16 October meeting.
Through discussion with the council’s road maintenance team, it was determined the three roads ranked among the highest in terms of maintenance costs for the shire and it was decided council would propose to repave the roads.
The $1.7 million package, funded under the council’s capital works program, will involve pavement rehabilitation and construction, drainage improvements and associated works.
Deputy mayor councilllor Jack Kowarzik recognised the importance of the decision.
“If our residents read through this item, they’ll see some particularly famous local roads and getting them treated and getting the pavement renewed on them is obviously a high priority for council,” Cr Kowarzik said.
The proposed renewal of Tynong’s Nine Mile Road will target a section from Nar Nar Goon Longwarry Road, toward the intersection of 11-Mile Road.
Seven Mile Road will be repaved from Ballarto Road to Bunyip River Road.
Figures from Cardinia Shire Council’s 2022-23 annual report shows the council spent almost a quarter of its rates money on roads and footpaths throughout the municipality last financial year.
It also spent over $25 million from its $56.3 million capital works budget on roadworks, including the Bayview Road intersection, Tivendale Road Intersection, and McGregor Road.
Throughout the 2022-23 financial year, 800km of sealed roads and 832km of unsealed roads were maintained by the council.
Despite the council cash injection, community survey results show a decrease in resident satisfaction for local sealed roads.
In 2023, 61 per cent of residents were satisfied with the quality of local sealed roads, down from 64 per cent the year before.
But the figures were higher than pre-Covid levels, when road satisfaction sat at 58 per cent in 2019 and 52 per cent in 2020.
