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GREENFIELD ROAD AT EMPIRE BAY TO RECEIVE MAKEOVER

Potholes and rough bitumen will soon be a thing of the past for the main entry point to Empire Bay.

The Greenfield Road strip just received a near two-million dollar upgrade cheque.

 

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  1. The Story of the Empire Bay and Districts Roads Action Group’s (EBDRAG) Successful Lobbying for the Reconstruction of Greenfield Road, Empire Bay.

    By Gregory John Olsen Esq, EBDRAG Convenor

    A testament to the power of a united community seeking improvements to the infrastructure of their locale.

    In July 2016, my wife, Leeanne, and I, formed the Empire Bay and Districts Roads Action Group (EBDRAG) after moving into the Empire Bay in December 2015 and observing the disrepair and neglect of Greenfield Road. With the support of the Empire Bay Progress Association (EBPA), we convened two community meetings at the Empire Bay Progress Hall in August, 2016 attended by 70 and 90 residents respectively. We facilitated a process of group work and two main issues came forth. The major one was the total reconstruction of Greenfield Road, the only access thoroughfare for the 660 households, including new drainage, kerbs and gutters and, most importantly, dual use pathways.

    EBDRAG conducted a tour of the trouble spots on January 31, 2017, attend by four Central Coast Council officers, including the new appointed Manager Roads and Drains, Boris Bolgoff, who was shocked at the condition of the roads. He acted immediately to fill the numerous potholes, improve the area’s speed limit signage, repaint road markings and install a Give Way sign at the intersection of Greenfield Rd and Rickard Rd. Highway Patrol vehicles were regularly visiting the area to cut down speeding and a portable speed warning sign was set up for a few weeks in Greenfield Rd.

    While these were worthwhile and significant improvements, the biggest need was the reconstruction of Greenfield Rd, which Boris told us was not on the near horizon. However, he said that if the funds were forthcoming from the State or Federal Governments, Council would be in a position to expedite the work. So began many months of speaking with the NSW Member for Terrigal, Adam Crouch, the Federal member for Robertson, Lucy Wicks, as well as the relevant officers of the newly amalgamated Central Coast Council, in an attempt to get funding to bring forward this important work.

    In the meantime, Council was working on the second main issue that our community wanted fixed, namely the perennial flooding in the Sher Close/Shelly Beach Road area after heavy rain and especially during the combination of king tides and heavy storms. The blocked drain into Cockle Bay was finally reopened earlier this year after much red tape was negotiated between Council and the relevant controlling bodies. The residents have since enjoyed a much improved situation.

    I asked that Adam and Boris meet to discuss the situation and requested a costing estimate be determined by Council. This took many months but, finally, in January 2018, $1.8 million was announced by Council as funding necessary to completely reconstruct Greenfield Rd according to the community’s wishes. However, those funds we not forthcoming from any level of government at that time.

    It was with great joy that I received the news on December 10, 2018, from the EBPA President, Carolen Barripp, that the State Government has allocated the entire $1.8 million to complete the job, starting February, 2019. The three levels of government have worked together to produce a result that aligns with the needs of the Empire Bay community.

    I am very proud to have been the catalyst to this decision and look forward to the completion of the work so that residents can enjoy the benefits of a safe pedestrian and road access to our beautiful part of the Central Coast. I would like to thank everyone who supported EBDRAG’s work and acknowledge the goodwill shown by our political representatives in seeking a resolution to this very old problem faced daily by a longsuffering community.

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