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Wagga Wagga City Council weekly newsletter
Saturday 3 February 2024 | Issue #481
Parks & Recreation
Big task ahead to remove Bunya Pine cones in CBD
POTENTIAL HAZARD: Team Leader Parks Operations Graeme Clark with one of the large cones which have fallen from the Bunya Pines in Collins Park in recent days. Works & Projects
REINFORCEMENT: The Geogrid reinforcement is rolled out ahead of the asphalt seal being applied to Johnston Street.
Geogrid technology trialled as part of Council’s major road works program In a first for Wagga Wagga City Council, it is using Geogrid reinforcement technology in the rehabilitation of several roads as part of its program of major civil works currently underway across the local government area.
The technology is being trialled on the rehabilitation of Johnston, Church and Cross streets in Wagga Wagga’s CBD, which have been carried out over the past three weeks. Geogrid reinforcement is a plastic mesh product that acts as a stress relieving interface between the gravel component of the road pavement and the asphalt wearing course (pavement surface). The Geogrid reinforcement is rolled out on a thin layer of asphalt, which is then covered by a 50mm thick asphalt seal. Manager Transport & Traffic Jamie Harwood said Council has been looking for innovative construction options to improve the road rehabilitation process. “The intent of the Geogrid is to minimise cracking in the wearing course due to environmental factors such as seasonal temperature fluctuations and the stabilisation of the gravel in the pavement,” Mr Harwood said. “Case studies in Europe show that this product is highly effective in reducing on-going maintenance costs, extending service life and reducing the overall cost of construction.”
North Wagga Flood Impact Management
The works on Johnston, Church and Cross streets are just one part of Council's road rehabilitation program. Works started this week on a 300-metre section of Bakers Lane (south of Hammond Avenue) and on Copland Street between Kooringal Road and Blaxland Road. Stabilisation and rehabilitation works to improve the strength of the pavement continue on a 1.3-kilometre stretch of Byrnes Road from Trahairs Road, heading south. “We have so much going on across Wagga Wagga and surrounding areas over the next four months, as this is the perfect time to build these roads, weather wise,” Mr Harwood said. “We ask the community to be patient with the traffic disruptions these works will cause. The results will be worth it.” Among the rehabilitation works already completed this year, excluding line marking, are Boorooma Street, a 200-metre stretch of Gregadoo Road (western end), a section of Main Street in Lake Albert, and Arnott Street in Ashmont. For more information, visit haveyoursay.wagga.nsw.gov.au/roadrehabilitation-program
Have your say on options being put forward to mitigate flooding in North Wagga. This project considers three options to provide more protection for the North Wagga and floodplain community.
Access to parts of Collins Park and The Esplanade in Wagga Wagga’s CBD will be restricted for a couple of days next week as Council embarks on an operation to remove the large maturing cones from Bunya Pines in the area. There are 11 Bunya Pines in Collins Park and one next to the Wollundry Lagoon along the Esplanade, some of which are more than 30 metres tall. Team Leader Parks Operations Graeme Clark said the removal of the cones on Tuesday and Wednesday, 6 and 7 February, weather permitting, is part of Council’s general maintenance of the Bunya Pines. “The cones are generally produced when these culturally significant trees are in season, between December and March, and they attract birds such as sulphur-crested cockatoos who eat the seeds,” Mr Clark said. “The treetops are currently carrying an abundant crop of maturing cones, which can weigh up to 10 kilograms if left to fully mature - and they're starting to drop to the ground. “This poses a potential hazard for anyone visiting or passing through the park, so it is better to remove the cones before they fall from the tree.” Council advises members of the community to be aware that work will be undertaken to remove the cones from the Bunya Pines on Tuesday and Wednesday, between 6.30am and 4.30pm, again, weather permitting. On Tuesday 6 February, a large crane will be used to collect the cones from trees in Collins Park. It will be accessing the trees from Fox Street, affecting parking along the street. The area will be cordoned off during the operation. Bus drivers who normally park their vehicles in close proximity to the park and its amenities, are advised to park their buses around the corner from their usual break location. On Wednesday morning, the crane will be set up on The Esplanade, to clear the Bunya Pine cones next to the Wollundry Lagoon. Motorists are advised the east-bound land between Collins Street and Best Street will be closed while this work is being carried out. Visitors to Collins Park and people walking/jogging along the path on the northern side of The Esplanade are asked to follow the directions of Council staff carrying out the work.
Submit feedback Read about the options and complete the survey by visiting:
haveyoursay.wagga.nsw.gov.au