UPDATE
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A WESTERN Highway heavy vehicle detour around Nhill has been postponed.
VicRoads has released advice to drivers about the works originally scheduled to take place at Nhill from November 14
“We're currently investigating alternative timeframes to do the works and detour routes,” a VicRoads statement said.
“Further information will be issued in the coming weeks.
“Works at Dimboola are still scheduled to begin on November 21.”
Residents and businesses had spoken out about the proposal to detour Adelaide-bound heavy vehicle will detour via Edenhope from 7am to 7pm from November 14 to 18.
There was concern that alternate route along the Wimmera Highway and Kaniva-Edenhope Road would not be able to cope with heavy vehicles.
West Wimmera Shire Council Mayor Bruce Meyer said there were parts of Kaniva-Edenhope Road that had been damaged by heavy rainfall earlier this year.
“I think the road will hold but there are sections of the Kaniva-Edenhope Road that will not stand up to a constant flow of heavy vehicles on them.
“There is a section near my property that has been washed away and left with a one-foot drop off the edge. If a heavy vehicle runs over that then it will tip over.”
Cr Meyer said there was another section of the road with a culvert that he did not think could withstand a lot of heavy vehicle traffic.
“It’s already got a depression on it. It may hold or it may not,” he said.
“An engineer might say something different but I think the culvert may collapse if there are too many heavy vehicles on it.”
Before the detour was postponed, Cr Meyer said VicRoads should have sent inspectors to the road before selecting it as an alternative route.
Cr Meyer did welcome new road works on the Western Highway.
“Any work on the highway is good,” he said.
“I don’t know exactly what they are going to do but there is a lot of essential work that needs to be done on the highway.
“I don’t know how long they can leave it in this condition.”
Nhill Olivia Rose Cafe manager Lance Chaffey said he did not think the Kaniva-Edenhope Road was suitable for a heavy vehicle route.
“No, it’s not suitable at all. I travel on that road regularly. It’s too narrow,” he said.
THURSDAY
WESTERN Highway traffic around Nhill and Dimboola will be diverted over the coming weeks.
VicRoads has advised drivers that Adelaide-bound heavy vehicle will detour via Edenhope from 7am to 7pm from November 14 to 18.
“In order to complete safety improvements in Nhill, all heavy vehicles will need to detour via Edenhope using the Wimmera Highway and Kaniva-Edenhope Road,” A VicRoads statement said.
“This will add approximately one hour and 45 minutes to your trip.
“This route has been chosen for the truck detour because the Wimmera Highway and Kaniva-Edenhope Road are designated truck routes, meaning a safer and smoother journey for drivers.”
There will also be a detour in place in Nhill for cars and buses, using local roads. These vehicles do not need to detour via Edenhope.
There will also be a detour for all traffic at Dimboola from November 21 to 25 during daylight hours.
“To safely and efficiently complete asphalt repairs on the rail overpass, all Western Highway traffic will be detoured through Dimboola using the Borung Highway and High Street and Lloyd Street,” a VicRoads statement said.
”In order to minimise potential noise disruption to residents at night time, and to lessen the impacts on overnight freight, traffic will only be detoured during daylight hours for both of these detours.
“By completing these works using full road closures for a matter of days, VicRoads are able to avoid longer term partial closures and speed limit reductions which could have potentially lasted for a number of weeks.”
An interactive map of road closures can be found online at the VicRoads website.