Warburton Highway landslip repairs

Warburton Highway between Mayer Bridge and Hooks Road is operating under a single lane due to a landslip. 

Ongoing investigations by geotechnical experts have shown the impact of the landslip on the road and works required are more complex than initially expected.

Update - March 2023

Community information session

The Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) will hold a community information session on April 3 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm at the Mecca Theatre, Arts Centre Warburton - 3409 Warburton Highway, Warburton.

Our team will outline the plans to repair the landslip on Warburton Highway and answer community questions about the works. 

Yarra Ranges Shire Council and emergency services will be in attendance.

Please register your attendance by Eventbrite link.

If you are unable to access the link, please confirm your interest in attending via email to [email protected] with the subject line ‘Warburton Highway landslip repairs information session’

Old Warburton Road works

In preparation for the landslip repairs, we’ve been working closely with all emergency services and Yarra Ranges Council for several weeks to understand and mitigate the impact on the local community as much as possible.

Old Warburton Road will be a detour route when Warburton Highway is closed to repair the landslip and some improvements are required to support the increase in traffic.

Works include:

• road surface repairs
• installing guideposts, reflective raised markers, temporary barriers, and line markings
• inspecting trees and removing any dangerous branches
• installing temporary lighting to assist motorists at night.

Works will commence on Monday 3 April 2023 and are expected to be completed by Monday 24 April 2023.

Crews will be working Monday to Friday between 7am and 5pm.

Please note, works are subject to weather conditions.

Old Warburton Road is managed by Yarra Ranges Shire Council. In planning for these works, our road safety experts have been consulting with council on improvement works required to support the road as a detour route.

Upcoming works on Warburton Highway

Works to repair the landslip on Warburton Highway will require a full road closure.

Property access will be maintained for residents living within the closed section of the highway, but they will be unable to pass the landslip site between approximately 3263 Warburton Highway and Mayer Bridge.

What we’ve done

Warburton Rail Trail works

In March we worked on a section of the Warburton Rail Trail near Warburton Bushland Reserve to clean and make improvements to the drainage to divert water away from the landslip site.

These works have assisted with preparing the site prior to major works on Warburton Highway commencing and support the prevention of future landslips.
Warburton Highway underground investigations

In February we closed Warburton Highway for one night to undertake underground investigations on both sides of the road to determine the depth we need to excavate, and impact to both sides of the road.

Based on these investigations, we’re now finalising plans to safely repair the landslip and how long we need to fully close Warburton Highway. 

Background

Works to repair the landslip on Warburton Highway are complex and require detailed investigations and planning prior to commencing.

There are many factors we need to consider when planning to repair a landslip, and this location presents additional considerations specific to the Warburton community.

These include:

• investigating potential detour routes for all vehicles travelling in and out of Warburton
• planning for improvements on Old Warburton Road to cater to additional vehicles
• engaging with council, emergency services and public transport operators to understand access and local needs.

Considerations for detours:

• the design required to safely deliver long-lasting repairs to the highway and prevent future landslips
• maintaining the safety of all road users, contractors, and traffic management controllers
• access for the local community and people travelling to Warburton
• community safety in the event of an emergency
• understanding access requirements for emergency service vehicles, public transport buses, school buses and oversize vehicles including freight.

Emergency services access

We are working closely with emergency services to ensure that access to the community is available in the event of an emergency, such as a bushfire.

Oversized vehicle access

The landslip site is unsuitable for over dimensional and excessive heavy vehicle loads.

Bus services 

We are investigating school bus access during the full Warburton Highway road closure.

Public transport network- Visit the PTV website for the latest information.

School bus network- School bus routes are managed at a local level - schools work directly with operators to determine what services can and can't run, in conjunction with emergency services and the Department of Transport. Text messages are issued in advance to families to allow best planning. This is conducted through school bus coordinators at schools.

Get in touch

For more information about this project, please get in touch.

Email: [email protected]