Deep concerns over damaged road

Marjie Humphrey inspects Boundary Drain Road. 96517

By DANIELLE GALVIN

THREE-INCH deep corrugations on Boundary Drain Road in Kooweerup are a cause for concern for residents on the unsealed road.
Marjie Humphrey said she is “fed up” and furious with the state of the road and said it is the worst it has ever been.
“There are a lot of residents who are unhappy,” she said.
“I’m furious – honestly, the road is so bad, we’re five minutes from Kooweerup and it’s like we’re in the middle of nowhere.”
Ms Humphrey said she was at the end of her tether.
She said that 50 per cent of residents towed horse floats and crawled along a particular section of the road to make sure their tyres didn’t blow.
“I just can’t stand it – people are driving up on nature strips,” Ms Humphrey said.
“We need the road graded.
“We are happy to put up with it for a little while but not this much – it’s totally unacceptable and it has been that way for weeks.”
But Cardinia Shire Council’s operations team leader Mark Howard said the road is regularly inspected as part of the road management plan.
“Council also conducted an additional inspection of the road on 2 April based on the resident’s concerns,” he said.
“The road has been scheduled for grading during April.
“The recent long stretch of hot and dry weather has affected the shire’s 900 kilometres of unsealed roads.
“As a result, Boundary Drain Road does have some corrugations, however its condition meets strict council road standards.”
Mr Howard reminded residents to obey road signs and always drive to the conditions of the road.
Gordon Kitchen lives near where the corrugations are at their worst.
“People are using my nature strip to avoid the corrugations – but I’m more concerned about the state of the road, it’s dangerous,” he said.
Mr Kitchen said the road was a thoroughfare for traffic to Bayles and that the road desperately needed more attention.