By NICOLE WILLIAMS
IT IS a rough state of affairs on Main Drain Road in Cora Lynn. Residents on the road say it is a constant battle, with many having suffered multiple tyre punctures from rocks embedded ‘like icebergs’ in the roadway.
Ray Cullen said the road had barely been touched by Cardinia Shire Council since the area was badly flooded in 2011. A council ‘belly dumper’ dumped loads of larger rocks onto the road following the floods, and they have become embedded in the hardened road surface.
But council’s operations team leader Mark Howard said the council routinely inspected some sections of Main Drain Road every six weeks, and other sections every 12 weeks.
Brendan Harris has lived on the road for 15 years, but said it is the worst he has seen.
“We get a puncture about once a month,’ he said.
“It is terrible at the moment. I don’t think it has been touched since the floods.”
Mr Harris’ wife has become a regular at a local tyre shop, who is now refusing to let her pay for the constant repairs.
The couple also have a daughter who recently received her learner’s permit, but Mr Harris refuses to let her drive on Main Drain Road.
“When you live on a dirt road, you know the cars are going to get dusty and you put up with it,” he said.
“But this is ridiculous.”
Asparagus farmer Frank Butera said he had suffered ‘dozens’ of punctures and many of his workers complain about the state of the road.
“We get a lot of complaints,” he said.
“It is not going to do asparagus any good going over such a rough road.”
Worker Tom Knox said he had experienced ‘mine sites’ that were in better condition.
“The rocks are embedded in like icebergs,” he said.
“The road has always been poorly maintained. The road ought to be graded at least three times a year.”
Mr Harris and Mr Cullen, as well as a number of other residents, have contacted the council with their concerns, and aside from a standard letter, they say there has been no action.
“We are not looking for a sealed road, just a program of maintenance,” Mr Cullen said.
Mr Howard said any necessary maintenance is then carried out as part of the council’s road management plan.
“Council conducted an additional inspection of Main Drain Road on 29 April based on the concerns of residents – the road was found to be in a satisfactory condition, meeting council’s strict standards,” he said.
“Some damage has been caused to the road due to flooding and continuous rainfall in the area in recent years.
“The larger-sized pieces of crushed rock along some parts of the road were deposited by council.
“They are necessary to help strengthen and rehabilitate its surface. “
Mr Howard said sections of Main Drain Road within the Cora Lynn area were graded in October 2012.
He said parts of the road will be re-sheeted with new crushed rock later in 2013, as part of council’s annual unsealed roads re-sheeting program.
“When works are carried out on a road affected by large volumes of water, great care must be taken otherwise there is a risk of its condition becoming worse,” he said.
Mr Howard encouraged residents to adjust their speed accordingly in severe weather conditions, particularly on unsealed roads.
“As with all roads in Victoria, the speed limit along Main Drain Road is set according to VicRoads guidelines,” he said.
“Given the low levels of housing and development along the road, and because it is in a predominantly rural area, its default speed limit of 100 kilometres per hour is appropriate.”
However, as the condition of unsealed roads can be severely affected by weather and other factors, motorists are reminded to adjust their speed accordingly.
