Which authority gains control and responsibility for bridge and road maintenance following the upgrade of the Pacific Highway?
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If Port Macquarie-Hastings Council follows Cr Mike Cusato's rule of thumb, council - and therefore the commmunity - should not be lumbered with the cost-sapping and ageing bridge infrastructures.
At council's December meeting, Cr Cusato was responding to advice tabled by staff over just whom would gain responsibility for the Wilson River Bridge and the Dennis Bridge.
"We need councillors to be made aware of the decision (so we can) make sure the Wilson River Bridge is not transferred to council," he said.
The report tabled on the night said council staff are currently working with Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) staff in relation to the handover of road assets related to the old Pacific Highway.
"The proposed date for official handover at this stage is July 1, 2018," the report said.
"Responsibility for, and maintenance of, the old highway will remain with the RMS until this official handover has occurred.
"As part of the handover process there is a negotiation between council and the RMS as to any assets that will remain the responsibility of the RMS to continue to maintain.
We don't want those bridges in our possession. Councils cannot afford these to be handed to us.
- Cr Mike Cusato
"Council has formally written to the RMS stating our position that both the Dennis Bridge over the Hastings River and the Telegraph Point Bridge over the Wilson River are complex bridge structures and should therefore remain RMS assets.
"Council staff’s current understanding is that the Dennis Bridge will remain an RMS asset, and that the responsibility for the Telegraph Point Bridge is still under consideration."
Cr Cusato described the handover of ageing roads and bridges as 'a big issue'.
"Both bridges would be many hundreds of millions of dollars and we don't have that (funds) available," he said.
"We don't want those bridges in our possession. Councils cannot afford these to be handed to us.
"I want to make it clear to the community that the Dennis Bridge will not be handed to council and hopefully the same with the Wilson River Bridge.
"Sometimes we are handed infrastructure that we cannot afford."
General manager Craig Swift-McNair said councillors would be advised one way or the other.
"Councillors will be made aware," he said.
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