FEDERATION Council will attempt to discover what bridge alignment across Lake Mulwala is preferred by residents of Mulwala.
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The council has been presented with a recommendation from general manager Adrian Butler to carry out a survey with the matter to be debated on Tuesday.
The former Corowa Shire decided in 2013 to back the grey route alignment and not take any ownership or responsibility for the existing bridge to be replaced.
A year later it rejected a request from the Mulwala Progress Association to re-visit its decision and back the green route located further west.
In a report prepared by general manager Adrian Butler, the NSW Electoral Commission was approached to carry out a similar poll at a cost of more than $80,000.
Two research survey companies have been approached to obtain an estimate of cost with telephone, postal, door-to-door and online interviews the primary modes costed.
Pricing ranged from $6000 for a telephone survey to $21,600 for door-to-door interviews.
“Council has received numerous letters and emails from residents and commercial organisations expressing support for both the grey and green routes,” Mr Butler said.
“Federation Council has not undertaken a poll of the preferred route of its Mulwala residents.
“Irrespective of any other possible options, council will engage with both VicRoads and RMS to ascertain the current status of the environmental planning for the grey route, as there seems to be a lack of work proceeding on this.”
“Staff will engage with VicRoads and RMS to ascertain the position on the investment priority report,” Mr Butler said.
“It is clearly not acceptable to have the existing bridge at least 10 years away, given the closure of the weir bridge in 2020.”
Councillors Paul Miegel, Fred Longmire, Gail Law and Norm Wales were members of the former Corowa Shire when the bridge issue was debated in 2013-14.
