Salisbury Council to start work on expansion of St Kilda boat ramp within months
Tenders are expected to be called within weeks for the $1 million expansion of the busy St Kilda boat ramp, north of Adelaide.
North & North East
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Salisbury Council is expecting to start work on expanding the St Kilda boat ramp within months.
The project — which will cost around $990,000 — involves adding an extra lane to ease congestion. It also includes deepening the channel.
It is the major part of the second stage of a $7.8 million masterplan to upgrade St Kilda.
Other future projects include creating an area for recreational vehicles, upgrading carparking and improving pedestrian access.
A staff report presented to a council committee on Monday night said increasing the capacity of the boat ramp had been identified as a priority during community consultation.
This would be achieved by adding another lane to the three existing lanes to enable more boat owners to enter and exit the ramp during peak periods.
Upgrading two other “historical” ramps had been ruled out followed engineering inspections.
“Following an independent consultant assessment, the ramp grading and structural integrity were found to be compromised, which would have required complete replacement and therefore (they would be) unable to be used” said the report.
“It was therefore decided to increase the capacity of the existing ramp.”
The report said the project had reached the final stage of funding approval “with the expectation that approval will be given in February 2020.”
“Tenders will be immediately sought for the works to be undertaken through the low winter season,” it said.
“Included in the project is the repair work to be undertaken on the southern side of the harbour.”
The report said council already had undertaken stormwater drainage works in the boat ramp carpark, which ponded during heavy rain.
“Consequently it is proposed to delay the boat parking reconstruction,” it said.
Another staff report prepared for council discussions about the masterplan said launching boats at St Kilda was “challenging due to the long and steep manoeuvring lane”.
“Conflict arises particularly when launch/retrieval etiquette is not followed and when inexperienced owners struggle with reversing the trailer down the long ramp,” it said. “Efficiency for launching and retrieval can be improved through the installation of additional pontoons where owners can moor and clear the launching area while parking/retrieving their trailers.”
Improving the St Kilda boat ramp became an issue in 2017 when a fisherman’s car slid into the water while he was winching his boat.
Salisbury North man Colin Bartlett called for the ramp to be regularly sandblasted by the council to improve traction.
Mr Bartlett said the ramp should be upgraded after his insurance company wrote off his 2007 Ford Falcon.