MAYORS, councillors, experts and peak bodies gathered at Parliament House in Sydney on 2 June, for this year’s Local Roads Congress.
Port Stephens Mayor Leah Anderson was among the community leaders discussing road-related policy issues.
“It’s not just a Port Stephens problem,” she said.
“Not just millions, but billions more dollars are needed.”
The event was hosted by the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia.
The theme for this year was “Reflect, Rethink, Resolve”, which encouraged policy makers to learn from the past as they develop new approaches to improve local road networks.
The annual congress comes at a pivotal time, following severe flooding of the Port Stephens area.
“Our roads have taken a real hit in the recent natural disaster,” a spokesperson for Port Stephens Council said.
“We know that our roads are frustrating for everyone.
“We’re trying to find additional savings and new sources to expand the RAP (Road Acceleration Program) even further.”
Council has committed more than $20 million over three years to the program with work currently taking place on East Seaham Road.
The aim is to create a long-term solution.
“This isn’t just a ‘band-aid’ fix,” Cr Anderson said.
“We’re talking about a complete transformation of the entire 3.1km unsealed section of East Seaham Road, including drainage upgrades and safety barrier installation.”
Council will continue to advocate for additional funds from state and federal governments.
By Cosette DE LORENZO
You can help your local paper.
Make a small once-off, or (if you can) a regular donation.
We are an independent family owned business and our newspapers are free to collect and our news stories are free online.
Help support us into the future.
