A problem road has created the perfect conditions for a Queensland council to think outside the box

Isaac Regional Council has used an innovative Australian product to improve the safety of an agricultural haul road for cattle road trains and other traffic, whilst slashing maintenance costs.

Gravel re-sheeting and maintenance grading have been used to maintain the 43km stretch of unsealed road in the past, however Manager Infrastructure (West), Pat Moore, says the remote location and poor geotechnical conditions made these methods ineffective.

The procurement of an effective soil stabiliser proved a smarter alternative.

“Research, investigation and trials over the past 18 months led to the discovery of PolyCom Stabilising Aid,” says Mr Moore, “an Australian-made soil stabiliser used to strengthen almost any material commonly found in road construction and earthworks projects.”

“The product is simple and has proven very effective in relation to improvements in pavement longevity on black soil, sand based formations and gravel,” says Mr Moore.

Lou Lou Park Road received $1.5 million to undertake the much-needed upgrade works with PolyCom. The Lou Lou Park Road Rehabilitation Project was jointly funded through the Queensland Government Transport Infrastructure Development Scheme (TIDS) and Isaac Regional Council. If not for the collaboration, hard work and forward thinking of all involved, the project would have cost $4 million using traditional maintenance methods.

Mayor Anne Baker says the council crew went above and beyond to solve the pavement issues the road has had historically.

“The rehabilitation will ensure a safer commute for the cattle road trains and agricultural traffic that use it each year,” explains Mayor Baker. “Council crews worked extremely hard to deliver the project on time and under budget. The team’s positive work ethic and determination produced excellent results in what was before considered unachievable.”

“We are proud to deliver this project as promised in the 2016-17 ‘Connecting Our Communities’ Budget.”

Councillor Dale Appleton reports positive feedback from farming families about the high standard of Lou Lou Park Road. He says he is impressed with the finished product. “I’d like to congratulate the road construction crew for their efforts,” he said. “They tackled a difficult project and persisted to track down a new product that could ensure the road’s longevity.”

PolyCom enables council crews to build a stronger pavement that withstands varying weather conditions and traffic wear. Whilst PolyCom can be mixed with new quarry materials for both unsealed road construction and sub-grade preparation before sealing, real savings occur when the product is used to build a high integrity pavement with the region’s naturally occurring materials. The two trial sections of Lou Lou Park Road consisted of red bull-dusty sandy loam and black soil, which both yielded great results.

Building strong pavements from materials such as these that would usually be deemed unsuitable prevents the cost of new quarry materials, transportation to site and other associated expenses.

As councils face increasing demands with fewer funds to tackle them, it is encouraging to see a council driving this level of innovation and collaboration to find a new solution to an age-old problem.

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