Wet weather closes roads

ISABEL REED has lived down Grays Lane at Tyagarah for the past 10 years, so she’s used to the road being cut by floodwaters.

Grays Lane resident Isabel Reed and friend John Payne walk through floodwater to reach Mr Payne’s car after the Tyagarah road was cut. . Picture: Cathy Adams

ISABEL REED has lived down Grays Lane at Tyagarah for the past 10 years, so she’s used to the road being cut by floodwaters.

“I don’t really mind it that much, to be perfectly honest,” she said.

“It keeps people away and the isolation is not so bad.

“But I’ve never seen the floodwaters so high so far down the road.

“I’ve seen the Simpsons Creek crossing worse than this, but further down the road it was pretty bad on Saturday night.

“It would be good if something could be done so this doesn’t happen so often.

“A bit of concrete wouldn’t hurt.

“It’s pretty dangerous because a lot of people still try to cross the floodwaters.

“There’s no way I would be driving my car through it.”

Grays Lane was one of several roads closed in the Byron Shire.

The council also issued warnings for:

• Friday Hut Road at Possum Creek, which had an exposed log on the causeway near the Pine Mountain Road junction.

• Wilsons Creek Road at Wilsons Creek, which had water over the road.

• Main Arm Road at Main Arm, which had gravel and debris across the road.

The rain did not cause any road closures in the Lismore City Council area, or in the Ballina Shire.

Byron Shire Council’s executive manager for community infrastructure, Phil Holloway, yesterday warned drivers not to cross roads that had water over them.

“It is not worth the risk,” he said.

“How people often end up in trouble is that they make an assumption that the road is still intact underneath the water.

“This may not be the case and may leave the driver and passengers at risk.”

Mr Holloway said heavy rainfall in the Byron Shire had caused some debris to fall across several roads.

He said it would be removed as quickly as possible.

He urged drivers to take note of road signs and to drive with caution during wet weather.

Originally published as Wet weather closes roads