Highton Lane to be upgraded
Published on 01 March 2024
The long-awaited upgrade of Highton Lane has moved another step closer with Council awarding a $4.27 million construction contract to Alpine Civil.
Mayor Cr Steve Rabie said this project is one example of Council’s commitment to infrastructure and demonstrates how this Council listens to the community’s needs.
“Highton Lane has been the subject of serious community concerns for a long time,” said Cr Rabie.
“This project addresses issues with the road surface and shoulders, poor drainage, footpath obstructions, and the safety of pedestrians and cyclists.”
The project will upgrade single-lane sections to two lanes, construct and widen footpaths, ensure that there is kerb and channel along the road and upgrade stormwater infrastructure to reduce the risk of roadway flooding.
More than 25 residents attended two community consultation workshops with Mansfield Shire Council.
“We take community consultation seriously and we have heard what will best suit the residents of Highton Lane,” said Cr Rabie.
"For example, the location of traffic calming outstand islands, which are found in parking lanes, were of particular concern to residents. As a result of this consultation, we have been able to change the location of these to suit the residents and make them more accessible for pedestrians.
"We've also changed the route of footpaths and altered the location of some driveway crossovers.
"The community consultation also resulted in savings on the shared footpath. Those funds were instead used to pave Highton Lane with asphalt."
Some residents will have their driveway crossover impacted by the project. The project will replace those crossovers like for like, with the option for residents to pay to upgrade at Council’s contract price.
Works for the project may begin as early as April 2024 and are expected to take 8-10 months to complete.
The Highton Lane upgrade project is part of the IMPACT Route (Integrating Mansfield’s Productivity, Agricultural Communities and Tourism) project that is funded with $9.8 million from the Australian Government’s Remote Roads Upgrade Pilot Program and Council’s approved allocation of $2.5 million, including $1.3m of development contributions.
If you have any queries regarding the works, contact Council’s Capital Works team at council@mansfield.vic.gov.au or phone (03) 5775 8555.