Post-disaster emergency works nearing completion
Almost 2,000 impacted locations on the Scenic Rim local road and bridge network have been identified as part of a long-term restoration process to repair or replace damaged infrastructure.
Works to repair damage across the region are ongoing, with Council close to completing a series of emergency works under the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
The infrastructure damage is from declared natural disaster events including the rainfall and flooding events that occurred during the past three summers and the 2019 bushfires.
Mayor Greg Christensen said a number of factors contributed to the prioritisation and delivery of the ongoing emergency repairs.
"A network of specialised contractors have joined with Council's own workforce to help deliver these substantive restoration works in a streamlined approach to meet funding approval and efficient project management delivery," he said.
"Four hundred additional impacted locations have been added to the list of sites requiring repair, bringing the total to more than 1,900 across the region as a result of this year's severe weather event.
"Works to repair several culverts and severe road pavement damage across the region are ongoing, stormwater drains are being cleaned out, and the design for the remediation of floodways and landslips is also underway.
"Macquarie Street in Boonah has been repaired and re-opened and the Old Rosevale Road works will be complete in the coming weeks, in these cases, it was more practical to carry out permanent repair works right away."
Mayor Christensen said that while detailed preparation was underway for submissions to the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA), there is a standard process Council must follow and it will be some time before assets can be reinstated back to their pre-disaster standard to maximise the expenditure reimbursed to Council.
"Although at a lower standard than what Council usually provides, temporary emergency works started as soon as it was safe to do so to reconnect our region and to support the continued use of its road network," he said.
"Rigorous assessments are required to demonstrate damage on the road network, especially on sites that have already sustained damage from a previous weather event and this can sometimes prolong the assessment period prior to the commencement of restoration works.
"Once emergency works have finished, many of the eligible projects will require extensive planning and design and that will take some time to complete before these long-term restoration works can commence," he said.
"All levels of government require Council to provide well documented submissions to ensure value-for-money outcomes for taxpayers and I acknowledge the vital financial assistance provided by the Queensland and Australian governments to help our local communities to recover from the impact of major disasters."
To contact Council's Disaster Recovery Team, call (07) 5540 5111 or visit www.scenicrim.qld.gov.au/flood-recovery.
Declared events:
- Queensland Bushfires, September - December 2019;
- South Queensland Heavy Rainfall and Flooding, 8-14 February 2020;
- South East Queensland Coastal Trough, 12-15 December 2020;
- Southern Queensland Severe Weather 20-31 March 2021;
- Central, Southern and Western Queensland Rainfall and Flooding, 10 November - 3 December 2021; and
- South East Queensland Rainfall and Flooding, 22 February 2022 onwards.
ENDS