Neighbours, Manningham Council in dark over night roadworks at King St, Doncaster
VicRoads has denied claims it didn’t tell residents about overnight road works on a major road in Melbourne’s east, which has left the family of a girl who has autism furious and sleep-deprived.
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A Doncaster woman whose daughter has autism says they have been unable to sleep due to unexpected overnight roadworks.
And Manningham Council and nearby residents say they were not told about the works, despite VicRoads claiming they were notified.
Workers began resurfacing part of Doncaster’s King St on Tuesday and were expected to be finished last night.
Louise Kent, whose home in Gairlock Ct backs onto the street, said she and her family were woken at 11pm on Tuesday by machinery noises, beeping trucks and shouting workers.
Ms Kent said the noises continued through the night and the laying of asphalt made her house shake.
“It just went on and on and on,” she said.
“I have an autistic child and she was really disturbed. as a family we cannot afford losing a single night’s sleep, let alone 10.”
Ms Kent claimed a flashing sign on the street had advertised ‘Road works’ prior to construction beginning on Tuesday night, and it changed to ‘Night works’ on Wednesday.
Manningham councillor Dot Haynes described the night works as “sneaky” and posted footage on her Facebook page.
“The trauma of this is disturbing. These residents are being unnecessarily kept awake all night,” Cr Haynes wrote.
“Can we get some common sense back into construction works. VicRoads and these workers should be ashamed.”
Department of Transport spokesman Stuart Fletcher said VicRoads notified the council about the works on December 18 and got approval on January 13.
It also sent 200 letters to neighbours within 200m of the works on January 22.
The works cost $175,000 and were part of VicRoads’ $82 million resurfacing program, although there was no mention of the works on its website.
Mr Fletcher said workers were approved to work on site between 9pm and 5am, and the night works were advertised on signs before and during construction.
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“We’re resurfacing King St in Doncaster to give motorists a safer, smoother journey every day,” he said.
The council’s director of city services, Leigh Harrison, said it did not receive formal notification and would pass on residents’ concerns to the Department of Transport.