Lanes still closed on Warrigal Rd seven months after storm and landslide

ONE of Melbourne’s busiest arterial roads remains seriously clogged more than seven months after it was hit by a landslide.Cars are forced to navigate traffic cones at reduced speeds, with two lanes still closed since an embankment gave way during heavy rain last December.

Motorists have to navigate a narrow thoroughfare between traffic cones at 40km/h.

ONE of Melbourne’s busiest arterial roads remains seriously clogged more than seven months after it was hit by a landslide.

Cars are forced to navigate traffic cones at reduced speed along Warrigal Rd in Surrey Hills, with two lanes of the road still closed since an embankment gave way during heavy rain in December.

Frustrated drivers say the lane closure is worsening traffic in the suburb, where cars are usually backed up for several blocks even when there aren’t roadworks.

BURST WATER MAIN CAUSING LENGTHY DELAYS CARS DESTROYED BY MONSTER HAIL And to make matters worse, most of the repair work hasn’t even started.

Surrey Hills resident Elizabeth Meredith said: “It is ridiculous in a modern society like ours.”

“What hope do we have for planned relief to traffic co
ngestion in our lifetime?”
Living near the busy intersection of Warrigal and Canterbury roads, Ms Meredith said she’d watched the lane closure cause a lot of disruption.
“Why should it take over seven months to fix a small patch of road?”

Surrey Hill resident Jillian Paterson said the lane closure was causing “real problems” for people living on Elgar Rd because motorists were using it as an alternative to Warrigal Rd.

“We can’t get out of our driveway onto Elgar Rd at peak times,” she said.

Ms Paterson said it was “appalling” the roadworks were taking so long, especially without any communication with those living nearby.

Frustrated drivers are being forced to reduce speed to 40kmph.

A number of locals have commented on a lack of progress at the roadworks site.
“There is never anyone there actually working,” Alicia Lepp said.
“No progress has been made in weeks … seems to be blocked off for the fun of it.”
Earlier this month, VicRoads acting director of operations metro south east Sharon Patterson told Whitehorse Leader work would begin soon, with repairs to be completed in coming months.

“Works will soon get underway to complete long-term repairs to the road to ensure it is safe now and into the future,” she said.

The landslide below the road.

She said VicRoads had been consulting engineers and making long-term plans for the site.
“We’re working hard to restore Warrigal Rd to full capacity following the severe weather event in December 2017.”

The heavy rainfall on December 19 caused a retaining wall to collapse on a section of Warrigal Rd between Canterbury and Riversdale roads.

The entire section of the road was closed until December 21 while VicRoads stabilised the road and embankment.
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