Additional $2.3 million for Narrabri Shire road repairs

Narrabri Shire Council will receive $2.3 million for vital road repairs, including intersection realignments and resurfacing key sections of road damaged by torrential rainfall.

The intersections of Old Narrabri and Turrawan Road and Old Gunnedah and Kaputar Road will be upgraded as a result of the NSW government funding from the Resources for Regions program announced by Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway late last week.

The support was welcomed by mayor Ron Campbell who said the latest round of funding is paramount to getting the shire’s road network back to an appropriate standard for residents.

“As of December 2, 2022, 1154 defects have been recorded in the past three months. Our road network stretches some 2343 kilometres, and defects span at least 199 of those,” Cr Campbell said.

“We’re fortunate that Minister Farraway has visited the Narrabri Shire three times in as many months, so is aware of our current situation.

“This $2.3 million in funding and the additional $739,849 to cover pothole repairs is essential to assisting Narrabri Shire’s road network returning to a serviceable standard”.

Mr Farraway said the funding boost was great news for people who travel on the roads every day.

“These essential upgrades at the intersections of Old Narrabri and Turrawan Road and Old Gunnedah and Kaputar Road means local families get home safer and sooner,” he said.

“This $2.3 million announcement is in addition to the emergency allocation of $739,849 that the Narrabri Shire received this week which will cover emergency pothole repairs in the region,” Mr Farraway said.

The emergency program to repair potholes across the state has included 94 local government areas and totals $50 million.

“These grants are a rapid injection of cash to help councils get on with the job of repairing potholes to get us through the wet summer ahead,” Mr Farraway said.

“This additional support will help councils to repair their most damaged roads, improving safety and reducing wear and tear on vehicles.”

Recently, the NSW government also announced it would fast-track funds for emergency repairs to roads in flood-affected areas.

The announcement came as mayor Ron Campbell urged councillors to back a request to declare a state-wide roads emergency.

In a report tabled at the November council meeting, Cr Campbell described the damage to the shire road network as “disastrous” and that council is facing a task that is beyond the reasonable scope of any local government authority.

“We face an unprecedented disaster that requires an unprecedented response,” the mayor’s report states.

Earlier this year, council unanimously passed a recommendation to upgrade the intersection of Old Narrabri and Turrawan Road, dependent on funding.

A report, tabled by council’s infrastructure delivery director Eloise Chaplain and presented to councillors at the June council meeting, described the intersection as ‘sub-standard’ and said it did not meet Transport for NSW or Austroads guidelines.

“The acute angle formed by the intersecting road SR017 Old Narrabri Road and the curvature of the through road SR061 Turrawan Road has resulted in several near misses,” the report states.

Since 2012, Resources for Regions has supported economic and social prosperity in mining communities in regional NSW, with the $140 million Round Nine expanded to support communities where gas exploration or mining may occur.

The $560 million Resources for Regions is part of the NSW government’s $3.3 billion Regional Growth Fund, designed to support growing regional centres, activate local economies and improve services and infrastructure for regional communities.