Altona and Racecourse Rds - ford, potholes, flooding

http://hobsons-bay-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/have-your-say-fix-for-flood-prone-link-in-altona-williamstown/
HAVE YOUR SAY: Fix for flood-prone link in Altona, Williamstown



25 Dec 10 @ 07:09am by James Twining




A vehicle navigates Racecourse Rd in Williamstown North after heavy rain in November. Picture: TRENT ARMSTRONG


A FLOOD-prone road that links Altona and Williamstown North will be repaired gradually over the next five years.
Hobsons Bay Council has voted to set aside money to upgrade Altona and Racecourse roads (the same road divided by a ford).
The road becomes impassable during heavy rainfall.
The council spends about $40,000 a year to keep the road open and decided a more permanent solution was needed.
The council fixed 260 potholes in Racecourse/Altona Rd last month alone. It is the source of constant complaints.
A major overhaul, including a bridge, would cost $4.5 million.
It’s expected to agree on a more sustainable expenditure of $1.75 million, which will still not flood-proof the road.
>>>Do you agree with the council spending $1.75 million on the road? Have your say below.
All councillors supported the funding allocation although some were pessimistic at how effective the work would be and its level of priority.
Williamstown North Ward Cr Peter Hemphill said he wasn’t sure the problem would be resolved permanently without a bridge but believed the money was needed regardless.
Seabrook Ward’s Cr John Hogg - whose constituents have a similar road problem in Merton St, Laverton - said any costs were outweighed by community need
“The reality is this (Racecourse) road is very popular ... and when you have got a road that is often underwater and that itself is causing potholes, what do you do?” he said. “I obviously err on the side of what the public wants and the public wants to continue using it.”
Williamstown Ward’s Cr Angela Altair said she considered voting against because the road’s condition had until now protected native vegetation in the area by low vehicle use.
“I’m not sure that the council is doing nature any great favour by fixing this road,” Cr Altair said.
“This road is what has protected that coastal land so far. But I do think we need to fix that stretch because we have a number of factories there.”
Altona Ward’s Cr Tony Briffa said he was “very pleased there is something in the works”, with the road being a source of constant complaints.
A special charge scheme, asking nearby businesses to help pay for the road’s upgrade, was ruled out.

I use both the road and the cycle paths.
Terminate Racecourse Road at the creek and rip up the ford. Terminate Altona Road at the scout camp road and rip up the road in between and replace with a shared pedestrian/cycle path with a bridge over the creek. Make it a real park and not just some short cut used by motorists with no care or appreciation of their surroundings.
The council bowed to the car lobby when it rebuilt Battery Road at the Gellibrand Coastal Heritage Coastal Park leaving us with an ugly road through such an attractive area.
With so much open area being lost to housing and their attendant roads, surely we can better protect what we have left?

How's that for heresy! Ripping up roads, wouldn't that go well but it would make the coastal park even more attractive and reduce the illegal rubbish dumping along the road.
We spend far too much money on catering for people in cars who simply want to take the shortest path without any concern or appreciation of the area that they are driving through. It will end up as another road for the hoons to "practice their driving skills" on.