NORTH QUEENSLAND
FLINDERS RIVER BYWAYS GAINS ALL WEATHER ACCESS CROSSING
Hari Boppudi CEO, Flinders Shire Council
When engineers decide to work out a commonsense approach and deliver a product that complies with the relevant standards and regulations, we will see outcomes similar to the Flinders River Glentor Crossing. Designed and constructed by Flinders Shire Council with the assistance of local contractors, due to the low VPD numbers on this road, Council wanted a structure that is resilient, low maintenance and
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cost effective. The project success mantra was to use the best of local knowledge, making the best use of locally available materials. Council crews completed the project on time and within budget, achieving 70% cost savings compared to the other options considered during the planning and design stage. Glentor Road is the only access to the local property owners; closure of the link (generally due to wet weather events) increases their travel time by 30 min - 1 hour one-way. This route is widely used by the producers along the Hann Highway and the Glentor Road and is a vital link to southbound traffic. VPD is 250 to 300 per day when the road is accessible. Users had lodged numerous complaints and submitted various requests to Council to upgrade the crossing.
This project was in the planning stage and on the wishlist for a long time. I started my career with Flinders in 2010, and my overseer always told me of his desire to build the crossing before he retired. He was not hopeful due to project costs and complexity. I used to tell him miracles happen. We secured funding following the 2019 flood event, when he was alive but commenced works after his sudden death due to health issues. He had so looked forward to contributing to the success of this project. The crossing is in a purple zone; hence the proposed scope had to comply with the “ accepted development requirements for operational work constructing or raising waterway barrier works” as required by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries guidelines. The engineering challenge was compliance, budget and a design/scope that the Council workforce
ENGINEERING FOR PUBLIC WORKS | MARCH 2022
