🚧 North Burnett Regional Council: Advancing Road Network Quality 🚧

Maintaining over 2,700 km of unsealed roads, North Burnett Regional Council has been working on budget constraints and listening to residents’ feedback regarding the quality of dry grading, a process used to get across the network quicker. In response, the Council undertook a comprehensive review of grading practices, contributing to better decision-making and enhanced road maintenance.

Here’s what was achieved:

🔍 Grading Budget Model Development:

We developed dynamic budget models to evaluate various grading activities, considering costs, distances, and crew resources. This approach helps in better resource allocation and leads to more predictable outcomes.

📊 Council Presentation:

The team presented a thorough analysis to the Council, covering historical performance, the pros and cons of current versus alternative grading methods, and a benchmarking report comparing North Burnett’s practices with those of other Queensland councils.

🔧 Onsite Grading Trials:

We tested and reviewed several grading techniques in the field, including:

  • Dry grading
  • Wet grading with a tyre roller
  • Wet grading with a steel drum
  • Wet grading with a water truck rolling

The findings, supported by operator feedback, identified wet grading with a steel drum as the most effective for medium grading, as it pushed any oversized rocks down compared to the other rolling types.

Through these strategic actions, North Burnett Council is enhancing road maintenance standards, delivering better road quality, and upholding effective budget management. Well done, Council!

Below is a snippet video showcasing the differences between the dry grading process and the wet grading method.