Ross Lane will close to through traffic for about nine weeks after Ballina Shire Council unanimously backed the cheaper option for its long-awaited flood resilience upgrade.

Councillors on Thursday awarded the $3.19 million construction contract to Hazell Bros and agreed to proceed without a temporary sidetrack around the Deadmans Creek worksite.

The decision is expected to save at least $500,000 and potentially as much as $800,000 through reduced construction and traffic-control costs.

Mayor Sharon Cadwallader acknowledged the closure would cause significant disruption but said the savings were “just too much for us to ignore”.

“Hopefully, it’ll be less than nine weeks,” she said.

Cr Cadwallader said Council understood the impact on the community but believed people ultimately wanted the long-running flooding problem fixed.

The decision was carried unanimously.

Savings could approach $1 million

Councillor Phil Meehan said the savings could ultimately be even greater than the headline figure.

He said removing the sidetrack would save about $500,000 in construction alone, with reduced traffic-control and other costs potentially pushing the saving towards $800,000.

Depending on weather and other factors during construction, he suggested the eventual saving could approach $1 million.

But Cr Meehan warned the closure would have consequences well beyond Ross Lane, with displaced traffic likely to increase congestion around Ballina Island, Kerr Street and Angels Beach Drive.

Council staff also acknowledged traffic from Byron Shire routinely uses Ross Lane and said they would work with neighbouring councils to publicise the closure and alternative routes.

Residents whose properties are affected by the works will continue to have access.

Council says a communications program similar to that being used for the Ballina bridge works will provide advance notice of closures, detours and construction progress.

Long-awaited fix

The project will raise Ross Lane at Deadmans Creek and construct a new bridge aimed at substantially reducing the frequency and duration of flood closures.

It will not make the road completely flood-proof, with the design deliberately balancing improved access against the risk of pushing additional floodwater onto upstream properties.

More than 8,400 vehicles a day were using Ross Lane when Council settled on the design late last year, with traffic forecast to grow to about 11,000 vehicles a day by 2036.

Council has $3.9 million in Transport for NSW funding, but the total project cost is now estimated at about $4.35 million.

That leaves a shortfall of about $450,000.

Council will first seek the additional money from the NSW Reconstruction Authority. If that fails, the difference will be covered from heavy haulage developer contributions and Council’s Tintenbar to Ewingsdale Highway Bypass Reserve.

Busy agenda, few disagreements

Despite one of the longer agendas of the year, Thursday’s meeting moved quickly and was wrapped up by lunchtime.

There were no divided votes during the meeting, with every decision carried unanimously by the councillors present.

Greens councillors Kiri Dicker, Erin Karsten and Simon Chate were all absent.

Among the other major decisions was progress on two significant projects at Ballina Byron Gateway Airport.

Council approved its preferred tender for a new checked-baggage security system and agreed to negotiate further with consultants over its planned $7.5 million carpark expansion.

Staff told councillors consultancy bids for the carpark work varied enormously, making further negotiations necessary before a consultant is selected.

Council was told the additional negotiations should not delay the overall project.

Wardell and solar projects move ahead

Council also awarded a $685,350 contract for the Wardell boardwalk and foreshore upgrade, another step in the continuing revitalisation of the flood-hit village.

The work forms part of the “To the River” stage of the Wardell Village Centre Revitalisation Master Plan.

An $897,294 solar expansion at the Ballina Wastewater Treatment Plant was also approved.

The new system is expected to increase the proportion of the plant’s electricity supplied by solar from about 17 per cent to more than 40 per cent, with an estimated 11-year payback period and 25-year life.

Flood-damaged landslips on Tamarind Drive and Marom Creek Road will also be repaired after Council approved an $844,923 contract, fully funded through disaster recovery funding.