DEAD plants on the Hume Freeway in Albury will be replaced in the spring, NSW Roads Minister David Borger has assured member for Albury Greg Aplin.
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But work may be needed to deaden the traffic noise in East Albury and the Roads and Traffic Authority can’t give the council a time line for it.
Mr Borger has responded to 11 questions from Mr Aplin on landscaping, noise and various defects and omissions in the four-lane road, which opened in March, 2007.
Mr Aplin had reminded Mr Borger of the feature trees exhibited in the landscaping plans for the freeway years ago and asked what had happened about the 42,000 plants that the RTA and contractor Abigroup were supposed to plant.
“The RTA expects that after reasonable rain during the first half of 2010, progress can be achieved after winter this year,” Mr Borger said.
“Due to the drought conditions there has been a general failure of a number of plant species.
“Expert advice is being sought in providing more durable species to suit the climatic conditions.
“Extensive plantings and mulchings along the freeway corridor were completed in early 2009.
“About 42,000 plants were planted.
“However, a significant number did not survive due to the drought and lack of sub-surface moisture.’’
On noise, Mr Borger said the road surface north of Racecourse Road was given a seal in May to make it quieter and a fence near Alexandra Park was upgraded.
Albury Council director of engineering Brad Ferris said last night that staff had met two RTA staff on July 16 for a progress report and the council would continue to lobby for upgrades to meet conditions of approval for the freeway.
Further anti-noise measures were needed near the East Albury tennis courts and noise tests would be made once they were in place, he said.
It’s likely the NSW Department of Environments, Climate Change and Water will not endorse the full-noise assessment until the work is done.
Editorial — page 26
