Shire considers sealing gravel roads in Denmark after stormy winter

Damaged gravel roads around Denmark could be be considered for sealing, with Shire councillors set to vote on a motion to put funds towards a sealing project.

After a particularly wet winter, some stretches of road across the south coast are in a state of disrepair.

Unsealed roads can be particularly susceptible to damage from extreme weather, with consistent rain making repairs difficult this year.

The motion, to be voted on at Tuesday’s meeting, will ask officers to hold a cost-benefit analysis on the sealing of one or more gravel roads in Denmark.

Particular attention will be paid to roads with high traffic counts and that are on school bus routes.

The analysis could then be considered for the Shire’s 2022-23 budget. “The condition of our gravel roads is an ongoing issue for many in our community, particularly those who live out of town and rely on them daily,” Cr Jan Lewis said in the meeting’s agenda.

“Recent extreme weather events have exacerbated the poor condition of many of the roads in our Shire and we are therefore required to spend more time and funds on maintaining them to a safe and acceptable level. Driving on these roads can cause not only damage to vehicles but also safety issues as people try to avoid potholes and road verge subsidence.

“As bank interest rates are currently very low, it seems logical to investigate the viability of bitumen sealing those roads that require the most maintenance, have high traffic counts and are on school bus routes.”