The Rural of City of Murray Bridge closed the road and built a flood protection levee along 360 metres of the thoroughfare, ahead of rising river levels during last summer, to protect several houses and Mypolonga Primary School from Murray River flooding.
After water levels receded, the danger of flooding passed and the ground dried out enough to allow equipment in, the levee was removed in September last year.
Although the road hadn’t been underwater, levee removal uncovered significant damage due to subsidence caused by prolonged saturation from the high river flow.
Council workers monitored the road for a further six months before geotechnical conditions could support earth moving equipment and repair work, some 18 months after the road was first closed.
Repairs along a two kilometre stretch included identifying different areas of settlement, unblocking underground stormwater infrastructure, resurfacing and road sealing.
Chief Executive Officer Heather Barclay said the Council had taken every precaution to ensure the safety of residents and workers, while working to reopen facilities as quickly as possible, during the flood recovery process.
“We’ve really appreciated the support and patience of the Mypolonga community throughout the whole process,” she said.
“I was really impressed by the way the community came together during the Murray River Flood and partnered with the Council to find the best solutions to keep the community safe.
“North Bokara Road would have been under about one metre of flood water if the levee hadn’t been built and a number of homes would have been fully inundated, along with a significant portion of the primary school grounds and outbuildings.
“We are happy to be able to finally restore the road, reinstate access to the primary school kiss and drop zone and help life return to as normal as possible for the residents of Mypolonga.”
For more information about community flood recovery visit murraybridge.sa.gov.au
