Port Macquarie-Hastings residents have responded with vigor in response to the NRMA putting the call out to name the worst roads in New South Wales.
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The latest NRMA ‘Funding Local Roads’ report revealed Port Macquarie-Hastings Council is facing an $80 million roads maintenance backlog from the 2017/18 financial year.
On the Port Macquarie News Facebook page residents named Boundary Street, Herschell Street and Major Innes Road as just some of the worst roads.
“Owen Street always has some beauties… Pot Macquarie,” said Kathy Hodge.
“Please fix the roads! I have lived in many places around Australia and Port Macquarie has the worst roads,” Shannon Werta-Abbott said.
The NSW North Coast was also identified as the worst in the state for its backlog of road maintenance, with an estimated $438 million required to maintain local roads to a ‘safe and satisfactory’ standard.
On Facebook Jamiee Dachquschprung said she had driven on dirt tracks that were less rough than many Port Macquarie roads.
Cameron Hawkins, acting group manager at Port Macquarie-Hastings Council said council are dedicated to maintaining over 1300 kilometres of roads across the local government area.
“Council manages over 900km of sealed roads and 457km of unsealed roads and undertakes preventative, reactive and routine maintenance to address risk to road users,” Mr Hawkins said.
“In 2013, an independent review of council’s road maintenance processes was undertaken which outlined a number of recommendations to improve the management and safety of this extensive road network.
“Since the review, council has implemented a range of programs to ensure the maintenance of our road network is undertaken efficiently within limited budget constraints.”
The council’s allocated budget for road infrastructure in 2018/19 is $28.8 million which includes money for planning and design funding.
In the 2017/18 year Port Macquarie-Hastings Council spent $32,892,000 on roads.
Mr Hawkins also said that council continues to invest in road maintenance with money allocated in each yearly budget.
“We will continue to explore funding opportunities with other levels of government, to deliver a number of important transport upgrades required to support our growing community,” he said.
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