By TANIA PHILLIPS
THE Kirkwood Road eastern extension is back on the road again with the resolution of settlement issues that have caused delays to the project.
Contractors SEE Civil had made good progress on the $17 million project at Tweed Heads South until earlier this year, when problems arose near the on-ramp/off-ramp roundabout.
“The underlying deep soft soils required pre-loading – which is adding fill to weigh down and stabilise the soil base – to allow this section of the project to continue,” project manager, Jason Young, said.
“An independent engineering assessment has now shown that the settlement has slowed down sufficiently for the pre-load to be removed.
“This means that the project can start again in those areas which were off-limits and we anticipate completion of the project early next year.
“We have lost several months in the project timetable but at least we now have certainty that it can be safely completed.
“This is great news for motorists and a relief for council and the contractors, as we were all keen to get on with the job,” Mr Young said.
When completed, the Kirkwood Road extension is expected to deliver significant improvements to the traffic movement entering and exiting Tweed Heads South.
The first stage will provide motorists alternative access to the Tweed Heads South business district, which will eventually become a significant east-west corridor.
The second stage – from the Pacific Highway west to Fraser Drive – is unfunded.
The extension from Falcon Way to the Pacific Highway is a stage of the Lower Tweed Master Plan and will provide a third alternative for existing the Pacific Highway, to gain access to Minjungbal Drive.
For more information contact http://www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/RoadsTraffic/KirkwoodRoad.aspx
