The long awaited upgrade of the Cobar Industrial Estate is set to commence next month.
Cobar Shire Council has engaged a local civil, mining and construction contractor, Cynend Building & Construction, to carry out Stage 1 of the works.
Council’s general manager Peter Vlatko said council was very pleased to announce work would commence in the next two to three weeks.
“This follows finalisation of the detailed designs and specifications for the works along with a competitive procurement process to appoint a construction contractor to deliver the works,” Mr Vlatko said.
Stage 1 works include the upgrade of Old Bourke Road between the Barrier Highway and Campbell Street and the full length of Campbell Street between Old Bourke Road and Dunstan Street.
The work involves upgrading the existing swale drains to increase their capacity and reduce the impacts of localised flooding.
New drainage culverts and headwalls will be installed at the intersection of Gibbes and Campbell streets and also at the intersection of Hartman and Campbell streets.
Stage 1 works also include the installation of new roadside drainage pipes, inlet pits, new kerbing, upgrading the roads to accommodate oversized vehicles and new asphalt.
Mr Vlatko said while the detailed designs for stages 2 and 3 of the project have also been completed and the stormwater pipes, culverts and pits for these stages of work have been purchased, funding for the next two stages of the project has yet to be secured.
He said council had been planning to fund the work through the Resources for Regions program, however the NSW Government has discontinued the program.
“Council will continue to actively pursue funding opportunities to complete the construction phase of the stage 2 and 3 works,” Mr Vlatko said.
Cynend principal Shane Martin said they have carried out a number of similar jobs like this for council however this project will be their biggest for council to date.
And while he already employs a staff of 14, Mr Martin said he’ll need to recruit more staff to complete this project and continue to fulfill his other existing mining, civil and construction contracts.
The Stage 1 works are expected to be completed by mid-October.
Mr Martin said there are a few unknowns with the project, ie the ground conditions.
He said any wet weather events may also hold up the project as it has a tendency to flood in the area. (Flooding is one of the main reasons this project is being undertaken.)
Mr Martin said there will be some disruption for businesses and residents in the area while the work is being carried out which they will try to minimise.
“We know most people around here and I think everyone is keen to see the work being done anyway but at the end of the day we’ve got to look at the bigger picture.
“There might be some short term effects or inconveniences—short term pain for a bit of long term gain—but it will be nice to have an improved industrial area with kerb and gutters and an asphalt road.”
