Basin Road Sealing Plan Set to End
Knox City Council appears set to abandon plans to seal a 2.5-kilometre section of Basin-Olinda Road after too few residents agreed to fund the project.
Councillors will consider the recommendation during the July Mid-Month Meeting. If adopted, the proposal will officially end the current contributory scheme process for the unsealed road in The Basin.
Residents Fall Short of Support Threshold
Council officers investigated two options after residents requested a sealed road.
The first option covered the section between Old Coach Road and Ferndale Road. Meanwhile, the second extended sealing to the Yarra Ranges municipal boundary.
Earlier this year, Council asked affected property owners whether they supported the project and would contribute financially.
However, the response failed to satisfy Council’s policy requirements.
Only 57 per cent of owners supported the shorter option. Council requires at least 60 per cent before a contributory scheme can proceed.
Support fell dramatically for the longer proposal. Specifically, only seven per cent of affected owners agreed to contribute.
Costs Reached Tens of Thousands Per Property
The estimated construction costs proved significant.
Council estimated the shorter project would cost approximately $602,000. Consequently, each benefiting property would contribute about $35,900.
The full project carried an estimated price of $1.75 million. Therefore, individual contributions would rise to approximately $53,500.
Notably, four residents supported sealing the road in principle. However, they declined to pay the required contribution.
Gravel Road Still Requires Ongoing Maintenance
Council currently spends considerable money maintaining the existing gravel surface.
The shorter section costs approximately $73,000 each year. Meanwhile, maintaining the entire unsealed length costs about $110,000 annually.
Those works include grading, dust suppression and patch repairs.
However, officers say sealing the road would not eliminate maintenance costs. Instead, Council would fund street sweeping, line marking and pavement renewal.
Cyclists and Local Amenity Considered
The report also highlights another consideration.
Basin-Olinda Road remains one of the area’s recognised gravel cycling routes.
Although a sealed surface could improve vehicle access, officers believe higher traffic volumes and faster speeds may reduce local amenity.
Consequently, the character of the road could change significantly for residents and recreational users.
Incremental Improvements Will Continue
If councillors adopt the recommendation, Council has no capital funding allocated for the project.
Instead, officers will continue maintaining the road under the existing Road Management Plan.
Additionally, Council recently trialled an alternative crushed rock surface that has produced encouraging results in other municipalities.
Council Decision Looms
Councillors will consider the recommendation during the Mid-Month Meeting at the Knox Civic Centre.
If they approve the officer recommendation, the special rates and charges scheme will end. Nevertheless, Council says it will continue maintaining Basin-Olinda Road while investigating practical improvements in the future.
