By Jena Carr
Renewal of the road surface along Torquay’s Merrijig Drive and Fischer Street will soon be underway after the awarding of a tenderer contract.
Surf Coast Shire Council decided to award construction company, Fulton Hogan, with a contract for a lump sum amount of more than $2 million during its Tuesday, March 26, meeting.
Councillor Adrian Schonfelder said works would help improve road safety along Fischer Street, between Merrijig Drive, and Inshore Drive, between Fischer Street and Wadawurrung Way.
“I know that the roads in question are quite busy and I’m someone that does use those roads quite regularly and even weekly,” he said.
“The better condition a road is in, the more environmentally friendly it is as far as vehicles that use that road as far as any damage that is caused to any vehicle.”
Council identified Fulton Hogan as a tenderer which would deliver the best value for money outcome during the project’s process.
Council received external grant funding to undertake road safety improvement works, which will be combined with the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program and renewal funding.
Funding will be used to renew the road surface using a mill and fill process, which include removing the road’s existing surface layer and overlaying it with new asphalt.
Cr Paul Barker said he felt the roads recognised in the project weren’t “in too bad of a condition” and that the funding should have been used elsewhere.
“There are many more in far worse states of repair and a spend of $2 million could go a huge way to address those roads,” he said.
“Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program funding may have more merit if used along roads that many visitors use.”
