Henty rail crossing removal costs blowout near GrainCorp site

One project has taken nine years to complete and $1.3 million more to build than budgeted. But the locals are rejoicing.

The final cost of the “most complex” road project undertaken by a small southern NSW shire following a near miss between an interstate passenger train and B-double truck nine years ago has blown out by more than $1.3 million.

Greater Hume Shire assumed the lead role for the relocation of a rail crossing north of Henty which has had the added benefit of eliminating the need for large trucks to travel through the town to access a grain receival site.

Old photos of bunkers at the Graincorp’s Henty site.

A load length limit was placed on trucks going to the GrainCorp facility via the crossing where the January 2013 near miss took place.

But, the original budget of $7,205,560, made up of contributions from the federal and state government and ratepayers, has fallen short of the $8.52 million final cost.

Additional federal funding has been sourced and councillors will tonight (Wednesday) consider a recommendation to take out a loan for $600,000 and tap into other council funds to cover the remaining shortfall.

“The Henty rail crossing project has been the most complex road project the council has undertaken,” director Greg Blackie said.

“However numerous issues gave rise to delays to the project which has caused additional costs to be incurred.”

“The project is now complete and was fully opened to traffic including the rail crossing in early September, well in advance of the start of the 2021 harvest season for which many positive comments were received from users of the crossing.”

The project scope included creation of a new rail crossing and realignment of 1.1km of the Olympic Highway and surrounding roads and utility adjustments.

Last year’s wet weather and underestimating the cost of building the replacement crossing were among a long list of factors contributing to the blowout.

But former Henty Silo Committee chairman Graham Scholz said the removal of trucks from the town had been worth the long wait.

“It’s made a hell of a difference,” he said.

“With the big harvest we’ve just had it has been even better.

“A lot of the grain that was coming from the east and south of Henty was coming through town.

“About half the grain going to that storage would have used that old crossing.”