Below are a series of communications between the North Huon Collective and the Huon Valley Council regarding the recent grading of Lonnavale Road that has taken place over the last few weeks.
The NHC has been impressed by the council’s efforts on this most recent grading, and we appreciate the council’s open communication with us.
Stuart Scott (NHC) to Frank Chen (HYC), 13th June 2025:
We made an assessment of the road after the rain and felt you have cause for some satisfaction. A lot of the road lasted the rain well, much better than usual. Some spots not so well but overall you should be happy with that, well done. The bad spots will require some thinking maybe …. But good effort thanks.
Regards Stuart
Frank Chen (HVC) to Stuart Scott (NHC), 13th June 2025:
Hi Stuart,
Good to hear the positive feedback, and glad to see they worked.
The formal response to the petition has been included in the June Council meeting agenda (please refer to Item 9.1 via Meetings, Agendas and Minutes – Huon Valley Council).
As mentioned at our catch-up last Friday, following the site meeting and another look at the ARRB guidelines, we have incorporated several improvement actions through the recent grading exercise, including:
- We increased site supervision and presence from management to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges operators face while performing tasks on site.
- We tried compacting layers of materials in thinner increments to enhance stability and overall quality.
- The grader driver was using a variety of techniques tailored to specific areas. For instance, we identified a section of the road with high clay content and imported over 200 tons of fresh aggregate to mix with materials reclaimed from the road, thereby increasing its structural strength and durability. It is worth noting that importing fresh material is unusual for regrading exercise. However, we committed to exploring different options in this instance and made an exception due to its trial nature.
- We also relocated over 200 tons of material to other sections of the road to achieve improved crossfall and drainage, thereby enhancing the overall performance and longevity of the road surface.
- To allow ongoing monitoring, these areas have been clearly marked to ensure thorough analysis and review later on.
- We are exploring the option of equipping the front blade of the grader with rippers, enabling simultaneous use of both rippers and scouring bars to enhance the reach and effectiveness in removing potholes.
It is also worth noting that the Council spent over five weeks at Lonnavale Road this time, compared to the nominal two weeks in the past. This trial had considerable resource and cost implications, as well as flow-on impacts on the maintenance of other unsealed roads. We will continue to explore improvement opportunities but implement them incrementally to avoid significantly extending grading duration at any one location and to minimise impact on the overall grading program.
We appreciate the collaboration from the North Huon and Lonnavale Road residents and welcome your feedback going forward.
Frank Chen
Stuart Scott (NHC) to Frank Chen (HVC), 13th June 2025:
Thanks again for that comprehensive and informative list of actions. That is reassuring and we appreciate the effort.
Cheers, Stuart
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