Project update June 2024

We are in the final planning stages of this project, with early construction works due to commence in the coming weeks. These works will involve marking survey points and alignment on site, marking trees which have been granted approval for removal and on site meetings with contractors ahead of tree removals occurring.

We will endeavour to retain as many trees as possible throughout the construction process and any removals which do occur will be in accordance with the Fauna Management Plan developed specifically for this site, ensuring impacts to wildlife are minimised. We are also maximising the re-use of vegetation removed by placing some tree trunks in the road verge for habitat, storing some trees for re-use in our open space and stormwater management projects and providing tree limbs to local wildlife groups to use for animals which are in care.

A further update will be provided ahead of major civil works commencing.

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Background

A $1.55 million road safety project to save lives along Piggott Range Road, Chandlers Hill is scheduled to begin in the 2023-24 financial year.

Residents and road users of this section of Piggott Range Road have regularly raised concerns, including via elected members about the prevalence of crashes here, which has sadly resulted in the loss of life.

The project, funded through the federal government’s Black Spot program, will upgrade a 700 metre section of the road where a history of crashes has occurred on either side of Easton Road.

To accommodate the roadwork, up to 123 trees have been identified for removal. 110 of these are protected by the Native Vegetation Act, which require approval from the Native Vegetation Council for their removal through a formal process. Of the remaining trees not protected by the Native Vegetation Act, two of these require separate approval under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016

Both the above approval processes for tree removals require the planting of new trees to offset the impact of their removal.

While removing trees to facilitate a project is always a last resort, in this case, it’s in the interest of saving lives, and the upgrades can’t be completed without tree removals. Through careful planning and redesign, we have managed to significantly reduce the number of trees impacted than initial investigations.

The upgrade will include, but is not limited to:

  • tree removal
  • improving the shape of the curves located on either side of the Easton Road intersection by reconstructing the road
  • improving superelevation (the banking of a roadway along a horizontal curve so motorists can safely and comfortably manoeuvre the curve at reasonable speeds)
  • increasing the width of sealed shoulders where possible
  • installing a protected turn lane for vehicles turning right from Piggott Range Road into Easton Road
  • removing roadside hazards
  • providing guardrails to protect vehicles from roadside hazards if required.

We anticipate work on the road safety upgrade to commence and be completed in the 2023–24 financial year.

For more information, please read the Frequently Asked Questions and view the location map.

Community engagement

We sought feedback and insights from locals and road users from 24 April to 21 May 2023.

A community information (drop-in) session was held on Wednesday 10 May at Clarendon where community members spoke with the project team about the safety upgrades and asked questions.

Thank you to everyone that provided feedback via the online feedback form, emails, phone calls and at the community information session.

Updates