Oak Rd a death-trap, say residents

put forward a plan of action with support from Member for Dobell Emma McBride at the meeting.

They were advised in a letter from Council dated January 24 this year that investigations had been undertaken following last year’s meeting, with a qualified road safety auditor inspecting the two low creek crossing points and all approaches.

Council Officers also undertook an investigation and review of the remainder of Oak Rd.

The letter outlines proposed safety improvement works including: line marking to delineate the centre and edge of the roadway; sign posting to reinforce the speed limit; curved warning signs with advisory lower speed limit; width hazard markers to highlight edges of the low creek crossing point(s); flood advisory signage; additional flood depth indicators and safety signage such as ‘no overtaking or passing’ (at the crossing points); and lighting to illuminate the low creek crossing points.

Residents have been given until February 24 to respond but are not happy with the suggested improvements.

Boughton said Council had outlined proposals “that will cost almost nothing and achieve almost nothing”.

He said a solution suggesting the creek crossings should not be used if there is any water on the spillway was impractical for residents needing to negotiate the road to reach their homes.

“Most of us own AWD or 4WDs because we have to cross when there’s water over the non-bridges; otherwise it would be impossible to live here,” he said.

Long-time resident Mike Murphy said essentially, the response has been that drivers are responsible for any flood related incidents on Oak Rd.

“Access for emergency vehicles during floods has not been addressed,” he said.

“The installation of double white lines partially down Oak Rd … is a worthwhile safety measure (but) … many sections of the verge are hazardous and involve negotiating potholes across the road – some of which have been present since the meeting (last year).

“The maintenance of drainage gutters has just taken place after several years of neglect.

“These poorly maintained drains and gutters add to the difficulty of negotiating Oak Rd especially with large vehicles/ buses on the road.

“I was informed that large vehicles are able to cross over double white lines to avoid hazards, so extreme caution will need to be taken even after installation of the white lines.

“There has been no explanation (as to) how the lines will improve safety during flood events.

“Several of the most narrow and dangerous corners at the end of Oak Rd are not included in the safety upgrade as the road is too narrow.”

Another resident said there was an urgent need for Council to revisit its existing 2015 Floodplain Risk Management Plan which was designed to cope with the growing risk of flash flooding and associated risk-to-life hazards in the Erina Creek floodplain/ drainage basin.

“The existing Plan identified specific works had to be undertaken by Council given that the already known risk-tolife hazards were likely to deteriorate due to expected worsening deluge events,” he said “An understanding of the flood and risk-to-life hazards associated with the Erina Creek Flood plain has occupied substantial time and effort of the NSW State Government and local council for more than 30 years.

“There are 75 creek crossings in the Erina Creek floodplain affected by flooding of which 12 are in the ‘upper’ Matcham Holgate valley part of the drainage basin.”

He said the letter to residents from Council reframed the much bigger flood mitigation issue into a minor roads signage issue.

“Council representatives at last year’s meeting noted … that the outcome would at most be access to up to $0.15M in grants for minor modifications to safety such as improved signage but wouldn’t extend to funding a capital works program for this particular riskto-life hazard,” he said.

“The signage outcome for Oak Rd is also a loss for the Central Coast community which continues to have a NSW Government-appointed Council that fails to deal with longer term solutions to major risk-to-life hazards associated with flash flooding on our roads.”

He said Council needed to focus on longer term solutions rather than the “less than adequate band-aid of increased lighting and signage”.

Terry Collins

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