Goulburn Mulwaree Council is applying for funding for a secondary road to Run-O-Waters, the rural residential area on Goulburn's west.
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The new road could not come soon enough for locals. They "have been on at council for years now to provide a secondary access", Run-O-Waters resident Roy Barton said - and are tired of trucks blocking Ducks Lane, the main exit from the area, as happened this week.
On Wednesday, council voted to apply for $950,000 under the government's Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund to create a second access and exit point, for bushfire safety reasons.
Council general manager Warwick Bennett said the road was council's "number one priority" for application under the fund.
Access would be via Shannon Drive, and will link with a planned subdivision in that area. The grant money would pay for half the roadworks; if successful with the application, council has promised to pay for the other half to the amount of $950,000.
"We know the NSW Government is moving quickly on this funding," Mr Bennett said. Applications close on December 11. "We hope for a successful result early next year."
An incident the day before highlighted the need for a secondary road. On Tuesday morning, a B-double truck became bogged on the corner of Ducks Lane and Bonnett Drive.
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The truck was making deliveries in the local area, and failed to see a sign saying 'No B-doubles past the roundabout', Inspector Matthew Hinton said. A heavy vehicle tow truck was needed to extricate the vehicle.
Local man Roy Barton said the truck almost blocked access. "You could drive around the back of him one way," Mr Barton said. "On other occasions, the road's been totally blocked."
Police were able to direct traffic around the truck, Inspector Hinton said.
The driver was issued two infringements: using a heavy vehicle not in accordance with authorization ($685 under the Heavy Vehicle National Law), and disobeying a 'No Truck' sign ($194 under the Road Rules).
Mr Barton said this was the third time to his knowledge trucks had become stuck in Ducks Lane recently.
"It's a real problem," Mr Barton continued. "Somebody when these incidents happen might have a hospital appointment or an emergency medical incident, and they wouldn't be able to get out, and an ambulance wouldn't be able to get in."
Inspector Hinton said: "This is an ongoing issue that we are working on with businesses in the area and Goulburn Mulwaree Council to hopefully alleviate these concerns for residents in the Ducks Lane area."
Although instructed not to enter Ducks Lane through the roundabout, other trucks have gone the wrong way and got stuck. In June, a B-double truck missed the Lillkar Road turn-off to the Coles distribution centre, and continued up Ducks Lane. When it tried to turn, it became stuck with broken air hoses, and blocked one lane.
"Those things are as big as a house, and they just cannot manoeuvre," Mr Barton said. "Once they go past the turn-off, they've had it; they're really stuck. The only alternative they have is to go all the way around Run-O-Waters Drive, which they probably couldn't do anyway in a truck that size. So they try to do a U-turn, and they get bogged. And then they've got to be towed out - and the people who live on the estate can't get out, and other people can't get in."
Mr Barton believes a bigger sign telling the trucks which way to go to Coles would help. "Obviously drivers don't always see ... the little sign telling drivers not to go down Ducks Lane."
Council, Mr Bennett said, was satisfied with the existing signage, but acknowledged that the issue occurred on extremely rare occasions when truck drivers did not take notice of the signs.
The B-triple truck also ripped up the verge, Mr Barton said. "It's a real mess."
Council has promised to fix the damage in the near future.