May 1, 2009.
The $8million Taminda levee is just three weeks from being finished.
Work on the 2.8km flood levee is in the home straight – right next to the city’s racecourse - but with only 600metres to run to the end.
Work on the final stretch continues the road along the top of the levee from the Bunnings roundabout to the jockey club entrance in Britten Road. The entire levee stretches 2.8km from the viaduct at Barnes St to around behind the racecourse across from the cemetery on Jewry St.
Tamworth Regional Council began the project works in April 2005 to give industry and businesses in the industrial suburb greater flood protection. The project has included roadworks and roundabouts, the shifting of something like 100,000 cubic metres of soil for the levee, as well as sewer, power and telecommunications relocations.
The earthworks have also included building a detention pond at the bottom of Federation Park which will drain water from the area through a pipe under the levee into the river.
TRC civil construction manager Murray Russell says the Taminda levee project has been one of the most complex civic projects for the council and part of a long standing plan to put in place improved flood management for the entire city.
Mr Russell says minor drainage works are still to be done and the paving of the levee road finished. Traffic will then get access to the new road from Bunnings to the racecourse entrance in Britten Rd.