Project update
Council officers have undertaken a number of assessments in response to community feedback and requests following the flooding of Centre Road in Narre Warren and Hallam in November 2022.
Centre Road bridge over Troups Creek
Council undertook a detailed condition assessment of the Centre Road bridge over Troups Creek in response to community requests to reopen it as an alternative emergency access during flooding of Centre Road.
The feasibility of reopening the bridge as an emergency access was evaluated based on a number of factors, including structural condition, cost of rehabilitation works, ongoing viability and access window. The assessment found that reopening the bridge as an alternative emergency route is not a feasible option due to the structural condition of the bridge not being able to support vehicle use, the substantial cost of rehabilitation works, the limited window of time during which the bridge could be in use, and the traffic challenges and safety concerns resulting from the reopening of the bridge.
Water logging
Occupants in Rimfire Drive, Hallam, have raised concerns about water logging behind the factories. Council has worked with Level Crossing Removal authority to address this issue and a swale drainage system was formalised with adequate buffers from the industrial buildings to resolve the water logging at the back of the factories.
Lifting of Centre Road
Council has undertaken a survey of road levels to identify the low points of Centre Road between Shrives Road and Hallam South Road. Council is currently undertaking further engineering assessment to understand design constraints, including impact on any upstream flooding, safe reduction of flood level, modifications required on crossover and driveways of private properties and cost of works to address the viability of lifting the road at low points.
Project info
The City of Casey hosted two online community meetings on Monday 28 November 2022 to address the flooding on Centre Road in Narre Warren and Hallam.
Meetings were held for business owners and staff in the Rimfire Drive Industrial Estate as well as people residing in the Casey Greens Estate.
Council and other relevant agencies provided an update on the situation, what solutions have been identified to reduce flooding on Centre Road, and how community members could prepare for future flood events.
Prior to the meeting, community members were invited to submit questions. Answers to all questions received have been posted below.
Questions
These are the answers to questions posed both online and during the information sessions
- Is there a long term solution in place to prevent future flooding or at least minimise the impact which will allow vehicle access to premises. If so, what is the timeframe?
- Has the engineering works for the railway crossing removal increased the rate of runoff into the Hallam drain or influenced the drainage in our area? If so, what is the plan to moderate the drainage situation?
- What is the short term solution to stop Centre Road and Hallam Road from flooding so that is access into our properties.
- We have lost income through the flooding because some of our staff were unable to get access to our building and therefore were unable to carry out there work for our clients.
- The drains in O'Grady Road (opposite Centre Road) were in the past kept free of any silt and vegetation. I have photos from the late 1970s showing no vegetation at all. The drains are now entirely overgrown and cannot possibly function as drains to allow
- Are there any plans to translocate the Dwarf Galaxia threatened fish from the drains in Centre Road and O'Grady Road to a more suitable habitat to allow the drains to be properly constructed and upgraded? Is the habitat of a small fish living in man-made
- What remediation works have been carried out on the drainage systems in Centre Road or Hallam South Road in the past two years? Have these works been reviewed? Have the works been deemed successful?
- With regards to traffic management: Who decides what entity is controlling the flow of traffic - Police, Council or private contractors? The rules for access have changed with each shift change. High vehicles such as delivery trucks are being turned away,
- I understand the bridge at the eastern end of Centre Road was damaged by a truck some years back, and it has been deemed unsafe for vehicle access. As the Centre Road x Hallam South Road intersection is the only access point for the entire estate - when c
- Why is the only respondent on the list the "Water Planning and Operations Team"? Surely this is not only the responsibility of this team? Town planners? Small business advocates? Environmental?
- For homes that back onto the railway line, how deep is the water on the other side of the fence? Cannot see it but when a stone is dropped it is a deep plunk not a puddle.
- Please rebuild the Bridge at Centre Road. - this will give an alternate route. Add traffic lights at Hallam Road - Centre Road intersection - this will allow us to exit Centre Road in a timely manner. These are not questions - more statements. Thanks
- With only one access in and out to our estate, why did the Council allow it to go ahead? With Centre Road the only main road in , and a flood liability, what is the contingency plan that you have ? We as residents shouldn't have to have one. How will you
- Water behind the factories on rimfire drive due to the train line upgrade. It's not dispersing like centre road is and is right up to the factory wall a month after the heavy rains..
- Will you compensate residents cars if they are damaged from floodwater on Centre Road? I don’t have a 4wd so I won’t be risking my car going through flooded water. I hear on the radio it only takes 15cm of flood water to float a car, so can you allow resi
- Can you complete and open the other end of Centre Road? This way we can access our factories and get vehicles and equipment out the other way?
- Flooding has been worse since the dam has been dug, Why was this dug so close to Centre rd?
- New river behind factories dug during the level crossing removal. Why was this dug so close to the factories? We have concerns that this is compromising our factories foundations.
- It is crazy that emergency vehicles would be prevented from accessing flooded Centre road businesses because concrete blocks are placed on the bridge further up. There is desperate need for traffic lights at Hallam South Rd, Centre Rd, O'Grady rd intersec
- Do we have an endorsed drainage plan showing the impact of any water flows impact on Centre Road?
- The Council has known about the flooding of Centre Road etc. for over 20 years. When are they going to make a decision to raise the road etc?
- It is very upsetting that a fish is prioritised over our businesses. To hear that a solution will take years and Council won't re-open an existing road as a temporary access solution because of costs is sickening. Is there any chance this might be reconsi
- How does the Melbourne Water masterplan cater for existing and future businesses in O’Grady Rd given there is more yet to be developed industrial zoned land there than in the Centre / Rimfire estate?
- Where can we get a copy of the Melbourne Water masterplan?
- Have Melbourne Water received a drainage plan for the level crossing removal works and any impact the works would have on centre road and rimfire drive?
- When flooding next occurs, will access to Rimfire be similar to previous events (limited to certain vehicles?)
- The water flooding behind the factories on Rimfire Drive?
- Is it possible to build a temporary levy along the road at certain points to stop the water flooding across?
- This is a new problem why is there new construction on Centre Road?
- What would the cost be to elevate the road 1m at the spots where it is waterlogged to be above flood level?
- Why is the Council not going to consider funding signalising the intersection? Could VicRoads be petitioned to fund the intersections to allow alternate access?
- Can we have access to the camera's on Rimfire Drive?
- Does the debris and foliage in the drains affect flood levels?
- Water flows off the construction area on the right of Centre Road travelling west. Does this cause further flooding issues?
- Why can't the water be pumped off the road when it floods?
- Is there a proposed Centre Road Extension leading all the way up to Hallam Road? Would be very convenient for another access to Casey Green Estate
- What was the reasoning for not taking a look at a better drainage system much sooner? Perhaps when construction first began on Casey Green
- Can the water be pumped into a truck and taken away?
- Is there a way to build another road out of Casey Complex? Currently residents are stuck when Centre Road/Deblin is flooded. Kids cannot go to school, parents aren't able to go to work during the season, we'd be stuck for several days
