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Long hard slog to reopen Strzelecki roads after snowThe Grand Ridge Road and major access roads into the Strzeleckis have now all been reopened to traffic following extensive closures due to snowfalls three weeks ago. However, several lesser used tracks will still remain closed until cleared. By Latrobe City Council - 31st August 2005 - Back to News While even the deepest snow had melted within a few days of it falling, sections of the Grand Ridge Road still remained closed for the best part of the two weeks following, because of the staggering number of fallen tree limbs.
Latrobe City’s Roads and Drains Coordinator, Noel Cookson, said that while severe storm events can usually be expected to leave a trail of debris in their wake, the unseasonal snowfall caused debris on a far larger scale.
"If you were to visit alpine areas you’d notice vegetation such as snow gums that cope well with winter snowfalls. However, at lower levels the vegetation simply isn’t used to hundreds of kilos of snow weighing down limbs, and consequently numerous limbs drop on those rare occasions when snow does fall.
"On this occasion the snow fell at very low altitudes causing scenarios where road crews had to cut their way through kilometre after kilometre of fallen branches. The task was so great that in some cases it took several days just to clear one road," Mr Cookson said.
Mr Cookson said work on the clean-up had been hampered for the first couple of days by additional snowfalls. "While at lower levels the snowfalls were limited to the one day, further up in the Strzeleckis the snow kept falling. One crew also spent the best part of one day managing sightseeing traffic that had ventured onto a closed road, came to a blockage and was unable to turn."
Latrobe City’s Chief Executive Officer, Paul Buckley, congratulated the road crews on their clean-up efforts and thanked them for their hard work.
"I know in thanking them that I speak on behalf of many residents on more isolated properties, hemmed in for a while by fallen debris. The crews worked hard to provide them with access to their properties, even if it was limited at first and in some cases took several days," Mr Buckley said.
"Maintenance resources and available plant was prioritised to clear key access roads for the first week, and during the second week was allocated to clearing boundary roads and less trafficked peripheral roads.
"In many cases, while roads have been reopened, they have been reduced to one lane, with follow-up clearing still to be undertaken.
"Normally, we endeavour to tidy up debris as we go, but on this occasion the task was so massive and so many roads were closed, that our number-one priority was simply to get roads open and trafficable as quickly as possible," Mr Buckley explained.
Mr Buckley said there were a number of lessons to be learned from the snowfalls, for Council, emergency services personnel and the public at large.
"The first and most obvious lesson is that many people placed themselves and other people at risk by venturing onto roads that were clearly signposted as being closed.
"Numerous sightseers also became trapped in the conditions, either because they weren’t carrying chains and were in vehicles that were totally unsuitable for snow conditions; or because they ignored deteriorating weather conditions.
"Visiting the snow can be great fun, but we all need to remember it can also create a very hazardous environment for those who are not properly prepared," Mr Buckley added.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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