Starting work early on the last major link of the Blue Mile pathway will have a “marginal” effect on the project’s overall budget, according to Wollongong City Council.
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The council has moved to allay concerns about the $10 million project, which were raised by resident Ian Young this week, when contractors began digging trenches along a 300 metre section of seawall six months early.
Construction on the multi-million dollar seawall upgrade project was not expected to begin until March next year, however the council decided to bring it forward after a successful trial in July.
Mr Young worried the design of the tramway project was incomplete and said community consultation on the project was still in progress and had not properly been considered.
He also was also concerned digging the trench separately to the rest of the project could add costs to the overall project budget and called on councillors to halt the works.
But the council’s infrastructure and works director Mike Hyde said the cost of the work would have a “marginal” impact on the overall budget. He also said starting early would reduce risks and costs associated with the main tender “as a major element of contractual risk will have been removed”.
“It should be noted that [the] council has brought forward the timing of the trenching to match a period of low sea conditions and reduce the risk of possible delay and subsequent impact to the community due to poor sea conditions when the main construction begins in 2017,” Mr Hyde said.
Similarly, Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery wrote to Mr Young, informing him the council had done “extensive geotechnical assessment” of the rock platform, and was designing the pathway to withstand a “100 year” storm event.
“Councillors have been informed of the progress of the trial trenching and the plan to vary the program to minimise potential impacts to the community during next year’s construction,” Cr Bradbery said.
“Council is satisfied that this project has been correctly designed and appropriate management oversight is in place for a project of this scale.”
The bulk of the works will begin in March, and will involve installation of a new seawall to replacing the aging one between the Continental Pools and North Beach, which the council says has become “increasingly unstable and unsafe due to the harsh environment”.
Sections of the path will be widened, resurfaced and new paving laid.
In addition, seating, fencing, lighting and public art installations will be strategically placed between North Beach Pavilion and Belmore Basin.