Horsham Rural City Council Council Meeting

Presentation of Reports
Officers Reports Director of Technical Services

10.5 DIRECTOR OF TECHNICAL SERVICES

10.5.1 SPEED LIMITS - VARIOUS

John Martin File Ref:

Purpose

To propose that a number of speed limit change proposals be advertised for public
comment.

Background

Council has received a range of requests for reviews of speed limits over the past 12
months.

This report summarises the proposals that have been investigated and are ready for
public comment.

Process

Speed limits are governed by VicRoads, even on Council roads. Hence for Council to
change a speed limit, a request needs to be made to VicRoads.

When a speed limit request is received by Council the following steps are usually
taken:

1. Site investigation. This will generally include the gathering of traffic count and
speed data, and other relevant information for example numbers of
residences, presence of schools, standard of road construction, intersecting
roads and other parameters.
2. An assessment is then made using the VicRoads speed limits assessment tool
to determine the speed limit that VicRoads would normally expect for the
road section.
3. Public consultation on the proposal is sought if the initial investigation and
assessment suggest that a speed change may be warranted.
4. Presentation of a formal report to Council including the outcomes from
consultation.
5. Formal request to VicRoads for a change.
6. VicRoads decision / implementation.

Proposals for Consultation

The following proposals have been assessed as warranting a review, and are
proposed to be advertised for public comment.

Meeting Date: 20 March 2017 Page 26

Horsham Rural City Council Council Meeting
Presentation of Reports
Officers Reports Director of Technical Services

Rasmussen Road - Horsham

The 1400 m section of Rasmussen Road between the Henty Highway and the
residential area.

Current speed limit: 60 km/h.

Proposed Speed limit: 80 km/h.

Remlaw Road - Horsham

The 500 m section between Jenkinson Avenue and Hillary Street, shown in green in
the diagram below.

Current speed limit: 60 km/h.

Proposed Speed limit: 80 km/h.

Hunts Road - Haven

The diagram below indicates the area of concern, showing indicatively the 80 km/h
zones along both Henty Highway and Old Hamilton Road.

Meeting Date: 20 March 2017 Page 27

Horsham Rural City Council Council Meeting
Presentation of Reports
Officers Reports Director of Technical Services

There are no speed limit signs on Hunts Road in this section. As it connects to 80
km/h at each end many people would assume the 80 km/h zone applies, but as it is
not signed some might assume the default 100 km/h limit applies.

Current speed limit: 80 km/h.

Proposed Speed limit: 80 km/h (signage to clarify this).

Other Proposals

A number of other speed limit proposals are currently under assessment or in

negotiation with VicRoads. An update on each of these is presented below.

Natimuk Road, Horsham, near the school crossing

Numerous requests have been received from the community for a timed 40 km/h
zone at the Natimuk Road school crossing. VicRoads policy is that timed school
zones are normally only permitted immediately adjacent to schools. Given the
significant traffic counts on this section of Natimuk Road, it is considered that
justification may exist for the timed speed limit zones.

Status under discussion with VicRoads.

Flashing 40 km/h signs at Ss Michael and John School on McPherson Street

The request for a flashing sign on McPherson Street has been raised by the
community multiple times in recent years. While not strictly a speed limit issue, it is
similar to the Natimuk Road request above. This issue has been raised with VicRoads
several times in the recent past. The presence of a traffic signal is considered the
highest treatment level by VicRoads.

Meeting Date: 20 March 2017 Page 28

Horsham Rural City Council Council Meeting
Presentation of Reports
Officers Reports Director of Technical Services

Status further negotiation with VicRoads is proposed.

Golf Course Road Residential Area beyond Kenny Road

Various requests have been made both for the speed limit to be raised to 80 km/h
and for it to be lowered to 60 km/h.

The assessment proposes no change from the current 70 km/h limit.

Speed limits in Pelchens Road and Lanes Avenue, Quantong.

Several requests have been made for the speed limit in Pelchens Road and Lanes Ave
to be reduced to 80 km/h. Nearby Asplins Road, which leads to the Quantong
Recreation Reserve, has recently been reduced to 80 km/h, reflecting the higher
traffic numbers on that road.

Traffic monitoring equipment has recently been installed to collect traffic counts and
speed for a two week period.

Status investigation is underway.

Riverside Road Near Hall

A request has been received for review of the speed limit near the hall on the east
side of the river, in the area after the bend over the bridge.

Status investigation is underway.

Baillie Street - Horsham

Many pedestrians cross the Baillie Street, i.e. the Western Highway, in particular in
the Lister House area. A proposal is being discussed with VicRoads for a 40 km/h
speed limit in this area.

Main Street - Natimuk

The speed limit in the central part of Main Street, Natimuk was recently lowered to
50 km/h. The extent of this reduced speed limit, and the change in limits near the
edge of Natimuk are also being reviewed.

Consultation

The three proposals for changes to speed limits will be advertised in Councils public
notices, web site and Facebook page. Directly impacted properties, including Hunts
Road and the three residents in Rasmussen Road will also be notified, seeking
comments.

Meeting Date: 20 March 2017 Page 29

Horsham Rural City Council Council Meeting
Presentation of Reports
Officers Reports Director of Technical Services

A further report will then be presented to Council incorporating the results of this
consultation.

A subsequent report will also be presented to Council as the details of the proposals
under assessment advance to a stage where they are also ready for consultation.

Recommendation

That the speed limit change proposals for Rasmussen Road, Horsham; Remlaw Road,
Horsham and Hunts Road, Haven be advertised for public comment.

10.5.2 EXTENSION OF CONTRACT 14/028 BITUMEN SEALING

Martin Duke File Ref: 14/028

Purpose

This report advises of the review of contract with Inroads of Horsham over the last
three summer sealing seasons under contract 14/028. It recommends that the first
of two 12 month contract extensions allowed for under the contract be taken up.

Background

In August 2014 Council awarded its road sealing contract to Inroads for a three year
period, with the option of two 12 month extensions. Awarding the contract was part
of a collaborative process with our four neighbouring municipalities to agree on
tender invitation documents and specifications for the works, going through a joint
tender process, and a lengthy evaluation process to reach consensus between the
five municipalities to award the works to one contractor.

A review has now been undertaken across the five municipalities of the performance
of the Contractor and Council staff in delivering these works.

The sealing works in this contract are on the local road network, and include the
initial sealing of roads constructed or reconstructed by Council, and the periodic
resealing of the bitumen spray sealed roads.

Resealing is carried out to keep the moisture out of the road pavement, by renewing
the degraded bitumen on the road. On average this needs to be undertaken about
every 15 years for any section of road.

Issues

The review has revealed that each of the municipalities has a slightly different
perspective on how well the Contractor has performed. It is understood that four of
the five Councils are proposing to approve time extensions.

Meeting Date: 20 March 2017 Page 30