Work is well underway on one of the biggest road and stormwater drainage upgrades undertaken in the Etiwanda Avenue industrial precinct.
The $1.6 million suite of works are taking place in Etiwanda Avenue between The Crescent and Eleventh Street and include:
- Reconstruction of Etiwanda Avenue between Ninth and Eleventh Streets
- Reconstruction of the Tenth Street and Etiwanda Avenue intersection
- Reconstruction of the Ninth Street and Etiwanda Avenue intersection
- Replacement of damaged kerb and channel
- Major stormwater drainage upgrade between The Crescent and Eleventh Street
- Footpath repair
- Upgrade of Lower Murray Water mains at the Tenth Street and Etiwanda Avenue intersection
- Upgrade of the pavement approach and departure at the Eleventh Street rail crossing.
Early work has so far focussed on Etiwanda Avenue between Ninth Street and The Crescent, involving excavation and removal of existing drainage infrastructure – replacing the existing single 1200mm diameter pipe with two 1200mm diameter pipes.
The next major stage of the project will start on April 2 and run through to May 24 between the railway crossing and Tenth Street, requiring full road closure of Etiwanda Avenue for up to four weeks.
This stage of the project will include:
- installation of a new 1200 mm drainage pipeline (this is to increase stormwater drainage capacity in conjunction with the existing 1200mm pipeline)
- construction of associated pits
- removal and reconstruction of the full pavement between Eleventh Street and the railway crossing
- removal and replacement of sections of damage kerb, channel and driveways.
Etiwanda Avenue between Ninth and Tenth Streets will be closed during this stage of the project to ensure public safety given this will be a major construction site, with the drainage pipeline works running down the centre of the road ahead of reconstruction of the entire road surface.
All businesses will be open and accessible to pedestrian traffic during the works.
There will be traffic diversions in place during this period, aimed at keeping traffic disruption to a minimum and only as required to maintain worker and public safety. Prominent signage is in place to advise the public that all businesses will remain open during the road works.
Councillor for Infrastructure and Assets Glenn Milne said the full Etiwanda Avenue upgrade project would be completed in July this year.
“This is a major piece of work that will significantly improve the Etiwanda Avenue road surface between Ninth and Eleventh Streets,” Cr Milne said.
“It will not only make this section of Etiwanda Avenue, which is one of the busier roads in our urban area, more comfortable and safer to drive on for many years to come but reduce ongoing road maintenance costs for ratepayers in the long term – so it’s a win-win for our community.
“Importantly, it will also make these intersections with Etiwanda Avenue safer and easier to navigate for drivers.”
Councillor Milne said the drainage infrastructure upgrades would ensure even greater stormwater capacity during major rain events.
“While we undertook a major upgrade to the stormwater system in this area several years ago, which alleviated the majority of previous stormwater capacity issues, this additional work will add even further capacity,” he said.
“It also makes sense to carry out this work at the same time the road reconstruction is taking place.”
Changes to road access, including road closures will continue to be communicated directly to nearby businesses and to the broader community as this project progresses.
