CBD Utility Upgrade works powers on

With work to repair a broken underground stormwater pipe in Stanley Street, between Walker and Wills Streets underway, attention will turn tomorrow to the commissioning of a new water main in Blackwood Street.

Motorists are advised of changed traffic conditions at the Blackwood and Flinders Street intersections, resulting in no passage across Flinders Street from Blackwood Street in either direction.

Blackwood Street departing traffic will be left turn only and there will be no right turn from Flinders Street into Blackwood Street for both the inbound and the outbound lanes.

Temporary traffic signs will be in place.

Infrastructure Committee chairman Cr Mark Molachino said some of the larger excavation work for the project was coming to an end and the community would soon see visible improvements to the amenity of the CBD.

“The new kerb and channel and footpath in Sturt Street will really lift the area, and will be completed by late November in time for the Christmas retail period in December” Cr Molachino said.

“Traders in the CBD have been very patient and there is light at the end of tunnel for them. The CBD is open for business and we encourage the community to support local businesses.”

Water and Waste Committee chairman Cr Paul Jacob said the project contractors and team members continued to speak every day with business operators, property owners, transport providers and the public to provide up-to-date advice regarding works activities and at times were adjusting work hours and rescheduling work tasks to minimise impacts.

“The community have adapted well to the changing traffic and parking conditions in the CBD as the works progress. It’s a great credit to drivers, cyclists and pedestrians for their patience over the last few month and their adaptability in responding to and driving safely through and around alternative traffic routes,” Cr Jacob said.

Work continuing as part of the project includes:

• From Monday 31 October: Flinders Street West - road resurfacing, kerb and channel and stormwater pipe replacement work, continuing until early December, together with water main installation and garden bed remediation activities.
• Commencing Monday 31 October: Nightworks and partial road closures in Sturt Street between Stanley and Stokes Street to allow two new across road excavations for new pipe installation to be completed. Nightworks are also scheduled for a cross road excavation at the corner Walker and Stokes Street Friday 4 November.
• Works at the Walker and Stanley Street intersection are close to completion, with excavation work at the intersection scheduled to be completed this week and the team moving to continue up Stanley Street towards Wills Street. This change will improve local traffic movement in the area. Road resurfacing will occur in early November.
• Excavation work on the northern side of Sturt Street is about 90 per cent complete, and footpath upgrades should be underway in the next fortnight.
• Excavation work at the intersection of Flinders and Fletcher Street for bulk water pipe installation commences in the second week of November, so drivers will need to be aware of the changed traffic conditions in that area for several weeks.