Culvert barrier a Victorian first

The section of road had been reduced to one-lane, with a speed reduction and temporary traffic lights in place, for more than a year due to slippage and road damage caused by heavy rainfall and flooding events.

This is one of five sites in Hume Region where landslip rectification works are being delivered as part of the Flood Recovery Program. Works at the Myrtleford-Yackandandah Road site included reconstructing the verge, improving drainage, rebuilding the pavement and installing new guardrail.

Project Manager Jon Haywood said it was important to deliver a solution that would provide a safe long-term outcome.

“This site presented some real challenges, but the CrocGuard Barrier allows us maintain the current road width and minimise impact to the creek area,” Jon said.

CrocGuard is an innovative bridge and culvert barrier that spans up to 16 metres between abutment posts. The unique composite design comprises external beam rails that encase a concrete core – allowing the system to transfer load to the posts at each abutment.

“The section of barrier installed at Myrtleford-Yackandandah Road is very heavy duty – weighing more than four tonnes. It required detailed planning and a tandem lift with two small cranes to install the large sections of barrier on each side of the road,” Jon said.

“The ability to span over 16 metres meant we were able to span the barrier over the culvert without reducing the road shoulder or lane widths or extending the culvert, all of which would have been required for other solutions which required a large ground beam to be installed.”

Works at the Myrtleford-Yackandandah site are now complete, with crews continuing works on to other flood recovery landslip rectification sites in the region on the Murray Valley Highway and Shelly-Walwa Road.