ISLAND ROAD ‘GREEN SEAL’ PROGRAM GETS A HUGE BOOST FROM COUNCIL’S BUDGET
Redland City Council continues to deliver a road sealing program which has already sealed more roads than there are left to be sealed.
And Cr Mark Edwards tell us, however, that some people wonder why certain roads get sealed when they appear to have only minor use.
The councillor explained all the roads on the islands are ranked via a ‘priority list’.
“Priority has generally been given to addressing roads with significant ongoing maintenance costs, followed by roads with higher number of houses and vehicle movements.
“In an effort to deliver more roads within the budget, roads are sealed in precincts in order to reduce travel and relocation costs.
“These precincts are mainly priority roads to be sealed. However, sometimes it is easier and less expensive to seal a lower priority road if it connects with a high priority road.
“So it is cheaper in the long run to seal that road rather than returning at a later date,” Cr Edwards explained.
As a result, the on-going green seal program on our Southern Moreton Bay Islands has resulted in almost 60km of roads sealed to date, according to Mayor Karen Williams.
She told The Friendly Bay Islander in her July column: “At the current rate of investment, the program will be reduced from 70 years to 10 years to seal all island roads.”
To date $17 million has been allocated to the program - $14 million from Council and $3 million from the State and Federal governments.
On Macleay Island, 24km of sealing has been completed, whilst 25km has been completed on Russell Island, while green sealing work is virtually completed on Lamb and Karragarra islands.
This financial year, RCC has allocated another $2 million for green sealing Southern Moreton Bay Island roads; the highest amount ever in a single year.
The work will be split into two with Macleay Island to continue to have road sealing completed to the end of 2021, moving to Russell Island in early 2022 till June next year.
The roads allocated for work currently on Macleay Island this year include: Cross Street from #50 Coondooroopa Drive to 4-6 Cross Street; Rhodes Street from Scotts Road to 10 Rhodes Street; Devaney Street from Scotts Road to 18 Scotts Street; Glen Street from Michael Street to Ashton Street; Alistair Court from Michael Street to the end; Duncan Street from Michael Street to Ashton Street; Ashton Street from Hastings Terrace to the end; Cluan Street from Emita Street to 7-9 Cluan Street; Ray Street from Kate Street to Beelong Street; Ilya Street from 9 Ilya Street to 28 Ilya Street; Rio Street from Coondooroopa Drive to Kate Street.
Roads to be sealed on Macleay Island: Ray Street, Rio Street, Devaney St, Rhodes Street, Cross Street (part), Glen Street, Alistair Court, Duncan Street
& Ashton Street
Roads of Russell Island to be sealed: Banksia Street (High Street to #13 Banksia Street), Cassia Street (Banksia Street to Callistemon Street)
Callistemon Street (Cassia Street to Dryandra Street), Mark Road & Heeterra Street.
• Cr Mark Edwards and an island ‘green seal’ road.