The Narromine Shire Council has had to reschedule its programmed road works due to the exceptional wet weather and flooding over several months.
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When the roads were built quite a few years ago, the council did not anticipate the weights they have on the roads today and the roads are starting to deteriorate as a result, especially with the unprecedented wet weather experienced.
The council is attempting to do emergency repairs on roads deemed unsafe, but these works can only continue while drier weather permits and funding is available.
Narromine Shire has been declared a Natural Disaster area for June 2016 and has received a one off preliminary grant of $500,000 to be distributed as the council deems fit at its November Meeting.
The council has received notification from the State Government that the July and August 2016 events have also been declared a Natural Disaster.
The council is currently assessing the roads affected as they become trafficable to finalise a claim for these events.
While awaiting this outcome, the council will continue to utilise maintenance funding which is budgeted at $700,000 for local roads for this financial year and a gravel re-sheet budget of $313, 635. In order to commence road maintenance, the council roads need to be able to accommodate heavy plant.
Although roads may appear dry on the surface, many roads remain water logged and require drying out in order to accommodate heavy plant to commence or recommence works.
The council’s adopted roads hierarchy has been successful as the higher level roads that are identified as links throughout the Shire, have been upgraded to enable them to withstand the current condition and they have held up well despite the exceptional rainfall received over the last few months.
As roads and worksites have become accessible, Council have been repairing and ensuring roads are safe for public use; this will be an ongoing and lengthy process. Full maintenance and re-sheeting of roads will be reprogrammed once weather and road conditions improve.
Council is aware of which roads are frequented during harvest time with heavy loads and these are roads that will be given priority.
Council endeavours to safeguard the community and Council roads however is willing to work alongside the community members of Narromine Shire in accommodating their needs as best as possible.
Please contact Council's Infrastructure and Engineering Services department on 02 6889 9999 to discuss requirements for a concession.
From the Narromine Shire Council
