The maintenance of the Shire's extensive roads network is a huge task with approximately half of the Shire's Annual Budget allocated towards the maintenance and upgrading of our roads every year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What materials are used for unsealed roads?
In the Shire of Gingin the unsealed road network consists of roads with a variety of bases including gravel, limestone, marl limestone or natural material.
How often is my road graded?
Generally unsealed road maintenance (maintenance grading) occurs during the wetter winter months (May to August) to reduce costs by reducing the need for water cartage. The Shire does maintain certain gravel roads during the drier months on an as required basis but this is at a much greater cost per kilometre to undertake.
Essentially if the Shire is able to grade the road with the wetness of the gravel being at optimum moisture content then the Shire can achieve a better blending of material and compaction. This means that the surface lasts longer by reducing the amount of dust generated whilst extending the life of the gravel. Therefore, this increases the re-sheeting interval and reduces the costs for the Shire and by extension, to the rate payer.
Will my road be graded at least once annually?
Depending on the condition of the road the Shire aims to grade all unsealed roads at least once a year. Some roads will receive more than one grade a year dependent upon traffic volumes and heavy vehicle combinations using the road/s.
How often are the Shire's sealed roads checked for issues?
Sealed roads are checked regularly for maintenance requirements with the higher usage roads getting checked very frequently and the lesser usage roads checked on a reduced inspection regime.
The Shire therefore does rely on residents/land owners letting us know as soon as you see any maintenance items so that we can address them as they appear before they get too bad.
How often does the Shire upgrade sealed roads?
Sealed roads are renewed on an "as required" basis. Dependent upon traffic volumes, some sealed roads last for a long time while other less utilised sealed roads may require resealing on a more frequent basis. Sealed roads require traffic to keep the bitumen ‘lively’ otherwise it becomes brittle (like toffee) and requires more regular resealing. Generally the Shire works on a 15-20 year life of sealed asset as a trigger to review the need for a reseal.
Reporting Issues
From time to time issues occur with the Shire's road networks and related infrastructure such as potholes, trees falling over in storms, vandalism, etc. Sometimes these issues may not be noted by Shire staff for sometime if staff are not travelling on the particular road where the damage has occurred.
In these instances we encourage the public to report these issues to us so that they can be assessed by staff and resolved promptly.
Call (08) 9575 5100, option 7.
Report it online
Indian Ocean Drive & Brand Highway
These two major roads are managed by Mainroads WA and not by the Shire of Gingin.
Enquiries about these roads (including the reporting of abandoned vehicles and also the rest stop on IOD at Moore River) should be directed to Mainroads WA.
Call 138 138
Email enquiries@mainroads.wa.gov.au
Crossovers / Driveways
A crossover is the access for vehicles to your property from the road. It is the section of your driveway between your property boundary and the road. Maintenance and repairs of the crossover are your responsibility as a land owner. You may be liable for any damage caused to the road, kerb or footpath by way of vehicle access to the property during the construction of the crossover.
Crossover Specifications
All buildings and developments approved within the Shire are required to have a crossover constructed to the required specifications set by the Shire. These specifications can be viewed on the below Information Sheet. Please read them prior to completing your Application Form below and submitting it to the Shire for assessment.
Information Sheet & Application Form for Vehicle Crossover
Vehicle Crossover Construction Diagram
Rural B Double
Rural - Light Vehicles
Rural - Semi Trailer
Rural - Single Unit Truck
Rural - Triple Road Train
Rural - Double Road Train
Rural - Two Way Light Vehicles
Urban - Light Vehicles
Urban - Single Unit Truck
Urban - Two Way Light Vehicles
Intensive Horticulture/Agriculture Extractive Industry Fronting Sealed Road
Verges
While the Shire has management responsibility for verges, residents are encouraged to look after their verges where possible. If you are wanting to alter conditions on your verge, please see the Verge Treatment Guidelines below for more information.
Permission to undertake any private work on verges is a legal requirement and an application can be made to the Shire via the Verge Treatment Application Form, see below.
In addition, you can register not to have your verge sprayed with pesticides - see the No Spray Register Application Form below.
Verge Treatment Guidelines
Verge Treatment Application Form
No Spray Register Application Form