The recovery of flood-affected northern NSW communities will get a boost with $312 million being committed to rebuilding and improving road and transport infrastructure in the region to better withstand the impact of natural disasters.
Does this mean the Northern Rivers will get their potholes fixed?
The Australian and NSW Governments’ Regional Roads and Transport Recovery Package will ensure infrastructure damaged by floods is repaired or rebuilt, and resilience of transport assets are bolstered to face impacts of future natural disasters.
NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway said Transport for NSW will partner with councils to plan and deliver upgrades to the local network. ‘We are focused on doing what we can to ensure the people of the North Coast are connected and can keep moving, now and into the future,’ said Mr Farraway. ‘This funding boost isn’t just about restoring roads damaged by floods, it’s about building stronger roads, bridges and rail to better withstand the next major natural disaster.’
An assessment panel will be set up by Transport for NSW to review each submission and make a recommendation to the Minister for Regional Transport and Roads on projects to be funded with funding to be delivered for successful projects before the end of the year.
The NSW Government has provided affected local government areas cash advancements through Category B disaster recovery funding.
$312 million for roads,If it doesn’t get administated away and is actually used on the roads. Hopefully we get someone who can actually build a descent road unlike the ones that had just been fixed and didn’t hold up.
In Brisbane they used tax payer money to build a new bridge, a bunch of tunnels, and wrapped the city in motorways. They then gave the whole lot away to a Spanish corporation who made them all toll roads. Problem solved.
Seeing it will take forever to replace bridges and sections of washed away road sections the Army engineers should be considered as a way of solving these problems with their portable Bailey bridges that could provide relief straight away until money becomes available and on some creek crossing they could become a permanent fixture saving each Shire Council a lot of money .
If Mandy Nolan wins you will probably just get bike paths and bridges, you know, for a brighter greener tomorrow.
This is great news and hopefully will help resotre the road infratrucre we need to get around our dispersed rural area . It might not seem an immediate priority but I would also hope council engineers are able to take the chance to integrate good cycle lane marking at key points . This does not need to be a big deal. Lanes at key points like blind corners and particulary crests help remind motorists of the possibility of a cycle . They can reduce the risk of crashes by over 60%. Creating a safe cycling envoronment on our back roads can create a safer environment for locals who want to cycle. As importanty It can help develope cycle tourism in our area , adding to the attraction of the rail trail by providing additional opportunites for more confident cycle tourists and add to the strong economic bnifits expected from the rail trail.
Ross Lane for example is a road that not only badly needs flood proofing, but is also unsafe for cycling. By incorporating cycle lanes we can create a very safe cycling connection between Lennox Head and safe quiet roads up to the Hinterland Way to Bangalow. This is anticpated in the Northern RIvers Rail Trail Balliina Cycling Link which Ballina Council is pursuing. There will be other good possibilities, provided councils are aware and have their white paintbrush handy.
We have the perfect way to reduce carbon emissions. Just leave the roads as they are.
Wonderful to see an active local member like Janelle Saffin but what has happened to our disappearing federal member Hogan?
“by the end of the year” whenever there’s a disaster you can rely on Scomo to go Slowmo