The prioritisation of widening Kenwood Drive bridge at Lake Cathie is set to be discussed at the Wednesday, July 15 council meeting.
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A recommendation proposes that Port Macquarie-Hastings Council review the prioritisation of the bridge widening as an estuary system management solution.
All councillors voted in support of a motion, put forward by mayor Peta Pinson in June, for the general manager to give consideration to the development of concept designs for the bridge as part of council's 2020-2021 operational plan.
The report to the July 15 meeting examines the impact of undertaking concept designs.
Community groups Revive Lake Cathie and Saving Lake Cathie have lobbied the council to widen Kenwood Drive bridge to improve tidal flows in the lake and believe the action is central to ensuring better long-term water quality.
The council report said the council has committed to completing at least 30 transport-related projects and programs under the 2020-2021 operational plan.
The report said this commitment will see internal project management and infrastructure planning resources at full capacity throughout the financial year.
The projects will be delivered using a mix of internal and external resources, all of which require an internal project management resource to oversee.
The COVID-19 Working Group has proposed a number of priority projects in 2020-2021 to support recovery activities across the area after the global pandemic.
These priority projects will have further resourcing impacts on the operational plan.
Nine of the adopted projects and programs relate to priority bridge works.
The Kenwood Drive bridge ranks 86th of the 140 bridges in the local government area in regards to condition.
"The bridge is not currently identified within our future works programs for renewal or rehabilitation based on its current condition and risk," the report said.
The average costs of a bridge concept design, including geotechnical investigations and a detailed site survey, are about $100,000.
"Unfortunately, this project could not be included in the 2020-2021 operational plan unless another similar project is deferred," the report said.
Other items on the council meeting agenda include the recruitment of a general manager after the resignation of Craig Swift-McNair, amending the date of the council's water fluoridation poll and the COVID-19 recovery effort.
The council meeting will be streamed on YouTube from 5.30pm on Wednesday, July 15.
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