Orange City Council has been urged to reopen the track between Lone Pine Avenue and Shepherd Road as a matter of urgency due to concerns it might become a dumping ground.
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Councillors voted to permanently close the track immediately south of 3 Lone Pine Avenue, before the Spring Creek crossing following flooding last winter.
The gravel track, which is not a public road and follows the Spring Creek Reservoir, has been closed since July 14.
A report to councillors said drainage of the floodway at the Spring Creek crossing was through an “odd assortment of secondhand pipes” at various levels and was often inundated.
“The geometry of the road is poor with substandard curves and inadequate width to cater for passing vehicles,” the report said.
The report said the distance from Shepherd Road at the rail crossing to Blowes Road and Lone Pine Avenue via the track was about 2.1 kilometres, while the alternative route was about 3.1 kilometres, and a closure would have minimal impact.
Four options for works were presented, including to close it, bring extra gravel in and reinstate it for $10,000, build a concrete causeway and replace the drainage system for $50,000 or widen the road and upgrade the drainage capacity for $80,000.
However, councillor Glenn Taylor said residents were concerned making the track a no through road could create illegal dumping opportunities.
“A lot of people do access it,” he said.
“They’re not asking for the $80,000 option, they’re asking if we could do a concrete causeway – I know it’s a track, but it’s in our local government area and it should be maintained.”
He asked the council to add works to the 2017-18 budget.