Goulburn roundabout plan attracts criticism from resident

In 2021, the federal government allocated $416,860 in blackspot funding for a new one-lane roundabout at the Kinghorne/Albert Street intersection. It followed a council application.

Councillors were told at their most recent meeting there had been three recorded crashes at the intersection in the past seven years. All resulted in injury and each one occurred because people had failed to give way at Albert Street.

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But following a tender process, quotes from two companies, Goulburn-based Denrith Pty Ltd and Form and Pour Constructions, from Horsley Park, came back above budget.

Councillors decided in December to review the scope with funding partners in an effort to reduce the price. Rather than call fresh tenders, they will negotiate with preferred tenderer, Form and Pour Constructions, given their price was lower. If talks are unsuccessful, only then will new tenders be called.

Cr Jason Shepherd described it as necessary work.

"I use it a lot but so do many others. It is a troublesome intersection," he said.

But nearby resident, Barry McDonald, has called for a total rethink.

"Scrap this project altogether. We don't need it," he wrote to councillors before the meeting.

"If it proceeds, this roundabout will be a nuisance to all motorists who use Kinghorne Street and the bus route that turns right from Kinghorne into Albert Street.

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"This is not a busy intersection. I have experienced it at peak times and you wait less than a minute at the most to turn from Albert into Kinghorne Street. At non-peak times, motorists using Kinghorne would rarely encounter a vehicle at the Albert Street intersection."

He did not believe three accidents in seven years was sufficient basis for a roundabout. Mr McDonald argued the money would be better spent on improvements to the nearby Kinghorne/Fitzroy Street intersection, including left and right turning lanes to improve traffic flow.

But Mayor Peter Walker said the issue was not whether the project should proceed, but about costings. The funding was received for that location and if not used, it would have to be returned.

Acting operations director Rob Hughes also said the roundabout had been scoped to match the funding allocation.

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The council has experienced price rises on other projects, such as the aquatic centre, and has similarly opted to review the works.

Also in December, councillors voted to review the scope of Deccan Street's rehabilitation, after a quote came back "significantly above budget."

The council earlier received $2,089,466 in state and federal funding to improve the section between Clinton and Goldsmith Streets. It is part of a heavy haulage route and is deteriorating, management says.

A council panel of four pavement stabilisation companies was invited to quote for the work. Only Denrith replied.

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Mr Hughes said the initial construction estimate was based on similar roadworks at the time. He attributed the "significant price difference" to several factors, including high demand in the civil construction market, the low number of quotes and scope creep in the final project issued for quotation.

Cr Walker described it as "a big variation." The quote was detailed in closed session due to commercial considerations.

Councillors voted to decline Denrith's tender, review the scope of works and call fresh tenders.

Cr Andrew Banfield declared a pecuniary conflict of interest in both items and left the room during discussion. He works for the Denrith group of companies, of which his brother-in-law is a director.

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