With priority flood repairs now well under way, Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) has started preparations for the culvert repair and replacement program early, by procuring more than 100 culvert components which will contribute to the delivery of the 2022 Flood Recovery Program across the Region, ready for installation upon approval by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA).
In the 2020 program, TRC Infrastructure Chair Cr Carol Taylor said Council completed a total of 120 repairs of culverts and floodways, including 42 culvert or floodway replacements.
"One of our biggest challenges with that program of works was procuring culvert components, which were in high demand from all Councils impacted by flooding which is why our Flood Team made the decision to procure these components early," she said.
"Currently our first round of 25 culverts and floodways replacements are undergoing surveying service locating and hydrology studies, which will inform the design process.
"We are hoping to have contractors onboarded in early 2023 to deliver these projects."
Council's Construction and Maintenance teams have continued to progress priority flood recovery works continually combating difficult weather conditions.
"I think the unsung heroes in this story has been Council staff working on our roads. They have faced difficult conditions with multiple flood and emergency works over the past few years working nights and weekends where necessary to ensure our community can still safely access and use our roads. There is still a lot of work to be done, but I want to thank our teams for the work that they have done for our community," Cr Taylor said.
"More than 600 roads with flood damage have already been assessed and submitted to the QRA for funding, with that amount likely to triple by the end of the year totalling more than $100 million.
"With such a large number of repairs happening on our roads over the next two years, we want to continue to encourage our community to take care on the roads and to follow traffic management signage and directions.
"I sincerely thank our community for their patience and understanding as we continue to methodically work through repairing damage across our vast road network."
