Work will soon begin to fix a "dangerous" section of Sandy Point Road near Windellama.
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Residents have witnessed numerous accidents in the area over the years, including an Australian Defence Force Academy bus carrying 57 passengers in November, 2015. Twelve people were hospitalised as a result.
The following March, a truck driver lost control in the same spot. Its trailer rolled and landed on eastern embankment, about 1km from the intersection with Oallen Ford Road, injuring the driver.
At the time, Windellama resident David Edworthy said he didn't think it would be "the last tragic accident" in that area, given the increasing amount of coastal traffic.
He called on all levels of government to address the danger.
In more recent time, the State Government granted $945,515 from its Road Safety Program to address the problem.
The council will chip in $213,475 to complete the project, which involves design and construction work at both Sandy Point and Oallen Ford Roads, and shoulder widening at Sandy Point Road.
Goulburn company, Denrith Pty Ltd will undertake the work.
A report to Tuesday night's council meeting stated that the curves approaching Sandy Point and Miller Roads were "quite sharp" with very few passing opportunities for traffic travelling in both directions."
"This creates a road safety hazard when vehicles travelling southwest along Sandy Point Road want to turn left into Miller Road," the report stated.
"Approach speed at the curve has been a major factor in the accidents that have occurred. In addition, the current configuration of this section of Sandy Point Road and the intersection at Miller Road is not suited to heavy vehicles."
Detailed design will start this month, with construction due to start in mid April for a November finish.
However, a report to councillors earlier this month predicted a cost over-run on Denrith's $1,020,706 submitted price. The budget was already constrained and it did not allow for unknowns such as sub-grade materials and underground utilities, the report stated.
The price came after extensive negotiations with Denrith. The council called for tenders last October/November and although two parties attended a subsequent briefing, only Denrith pressed ahead. But councillors rejected the price last December when it came in above the $1,158,990 budget. Instead, staff reviewed the project's scope to reduce the cost and entered into fresh negotiations with the company.
In January, Denrith was asked to identify any construction methods to reduce the price, without compromising the overall objectives.
In February, when the price was still above the budget, the company was asked to consider alternative routes and quarry pits for material supply and delivery.
Earlier this month, councillors accepted the revised $1,020,706 price.
General manager Warwick Bennett has been given authority to grant project variations of up to $76,552.
In response to a question from Cr Denzil Sturgiss, operations manager Matt O'Rourke said the estimate was made two years ago.
"That's how long it's taken to navigate the grant funding application and in that time, the market has changed...A more timely turnaround of grant approvals would be helpful but that's the environment we live in," he said.
But he said the work was still within budget.
Cr Andrew Banfield, whose broth-in-law Andrew Divall is director of Denrith Pty Ltd, was not in the room for discussion of the item, having arrived late to the meeting.
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