A NEW Road Futures Strategy has been unanimously approved for public exhibition by Port Stephens Council (PSC).
The draft strategy proposes a 10-year roadmap for maintaining, renewing and funding Port Stephens’ road network.
It examines current maintenance practices, identifies funding gaps, explores new technologies such as artificial intelligence to detect defects earlier, and outlines options for increasing investment to address a growing backlog of road repairs.
The Road Futures Strategy was developed following a motion proposed by Cr Ben Niland in December 2025, seeking to review the current management practices.
“Nothing irks me more than to see a road that’s been built five years [ago], and seeing that it’s cracked, or it’s potholed,” Cr Niland said.
PSC has acknowledged the dissatisfaction in the community about the condition of roads, particularly after the extensive rain period in 2025 which caused significant degradation.
Mayor Leah Anderson said that the strategy will be fundamental in concretely showing the community that, despite the many criticisms, “[PSC] is trying to get through this endless battle of trying to fix all of our roads.”
During the latest Council meeting, Cr Mark Watson highlighted some of the innovations that will be introduced by the strategy, including new, more effective material to patch potholes and Artificial Intelligence systems to proactively identify issues defects.
PSC is still discussing how the additional funding will be obtained; according to Cr Niland, there are $150 million worth of damaged roads, and their state is projected to further deteriorate unless more money is allocated.
How the additional funding will be obtained is still up for discussion, as road conditions are projected to further deteriorate unless more money is allocated.
The Road Futures Strategy outlines two possible options for increased funding in the next ten years, either by a progressive $10 million investment or through the Long Term Financial Plan.
Cr Roz Armstrong raised concerns that the plan “does not identify funding implications at the various funding scenarios,” noting that PSC has received many submissions on the matter, and successfully requested the development of a long-term strategy to ensure that funds are properly allocated.
Road Futures Strategy has not yet appeared on Port Stephens Council’s current public exhibition page, indicating the exhibition is either about to begin or had not gone live when the agenda was published.
By Nico LOMBARDO
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