Repairs under way for several Indigo Shire roads ravaged by flooding

Indigo Shire Council has released updates on repairs to Gooramadda Road near Rutherglen where what started as a pothole in November quickly swallowed the road to become a ravine.

The council said it was expected to be repaired by late March.

"Every effort has been made to reinstate access and in late December, a temporary access road was opened to enable light traffic to use the road," a council spokeswoman said.

"As of January 19, works began on constructing new culverts and these are likely to take six to eight weeks.

"Businesses along Gooramadda Road are still open for business and can be safely accessed despite the road being closed."

The sinkhole and cause of the damage is a contentious topic among some Gooramadda Road residents who claim heavy B-double trucks being allowed to use the road from 2013 was the main cause of the damage, a theory rejected by the council.

Meanwhile, repairs to Indigo Creek Road, at Indigo Valley, were well under way, the council said.

Residents had been eagerly awaiting a temporary bridge after the road was closed on November 11 due to the failure of a major culvert.

"A new temporary bridge to enable access to be reinstated on Indigo Creek Road has been lifted into place," the spokeswoman said.

"The single-lane road leading to the bridge will be controlled by traffic lights and have a restricted load limit of 23 tonnes.

"Over the next week, our contractors will be working to get the road graded and compacted ready to take traffic, which we hope will by the second week of February."

Repair works to damage at Bells Flat Road, Yackandandah, where in October a massive sinkhole described by locals as "a potential deathtrap" before barricades were erected, are ongoing.

The sudden emergence of the sinkhole prompted councils and police to urge people to never drive into flood waters as what might might appear to be shallow water could be perilously deep.

Following an intense storm on October 25, water flowed over the road causing erosion and exposing North East Water underground infrastructure.

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The council spokeswoman said more assessments were required.

"North East Water has completed its repair and relocation of its services, but this section of the road will remain closed until a geotechnical assessment can be completed to inform the repair works," the council spokeswoman said. "Keep an eye out for detours until it can be re-opened."

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