THE City of Whittlesea has temporarily closed Grants Road at the Plenty Road end after significant damage was identified on Thursday, November 20.
Large sections of the road surface have begun to break up, creating a clear safety risk for the community.
The deterioration is the direct result of heavy haul trucks travelling to and from a privately owned property where a large dam is being constructed under a permit issued by Melbourne Water.
Council has already been forced to close other damaged sections of Grants Road, and trucks diverting along the detour route have now caused further deterioration on those areas as well. Residents have reported hundreds of truck movements each day to and from the site.
Under the conditions of the approved Traffic Management Plan, any damage to the road must be repaired. Council is working with the property owner and their contractor to ensure urgent repairs are carried out so the road can be reopened as soon as it is safe.
Council is working closely with Melbourne Water to ensure the responsible parties meet their obligations and that disruptions to residents and local traffic are minimised.
While current laws do not allow Council to prevent trucks from using Grants Road, they are holding those responsible to account and ensuring they undertake the necessary repairs.
