Councils across Riverina to benefit from $500m funding to fix potholes

Riverina councils will each receive a share of the NSW Government’s $500 million boost to tackle flood-damaged roads across the state.

The NSW Liberal and Nationals Government has announced the funding boost as part of the new Regional and Local Roads Repair program to help metropolitan and regional councils tackle the mammoth task of repairing the state’s road network, following months of extreme weather.

Wagga Wagga City Council General Manager Peter Thompson said the City Council welcomed this week’s announcement by the NSW Government of $500 million for NSW councils to repair flood-damaged roads.

“We look forward to the quick rollout of this funding to alleviate the considerable costs and workload pressures council has incurred to fix damaged local roads following the unprecedented rainfall and back-to-back flooding in 2023,” Mr Tompson said.

Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke shared on her social media that NSW Government would inject a further $280 million into fixing roads, specifically across regional, rural and remote areas.

“Each of the councils will be invited to apply for a share in this funding in the coming days,” Ms Cooke said.

“It’s a simple process and proportionate with the total size of their road network, they will receive the cash for repairs within a few weeks so they can get cracking on pothole repairs, heavy patching, other maintenance and sealed and unsealed roads are also included.

“The funding boost will help ensure our families, truckies, farmers, tradies, school kids and visitors are safe on our country roads.”

Ms Cooke said she had also spent a lot of time driving and had experienced firsthand the dangers and effects of roads in poor condition.

“This funding is absolutely critical,” she said.

“We all know the conditions of some of the roads across the Cootamundra electorate … they’ve been smashed during 2022 flooding and prolonged wet weather conditions.

“Whilst our small rural councils have been provided with record road funding over the past five years, they are still struggling with the cost of repairs.”

Ms Cooke said providing information about road conditions and potholes to the local councils in a respectful manner was useful.

“Please keep it up … in the meantime, please continue to be careful on our roads and be extra cautious around roadworks where council crews are hard at work.

Bland Shire Council, Coolamon Shire Council, Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council, Cowra Council, Hilltops Council, Junee Shire Council, Temora Shire Council, Narrandera Shire Council and Weddin Shire Council will benefit from the additional funding.

“The prolonged rain and flood events had a significant impact on the integrity of our sealed road network, particularly those roads carrying high volumes and heavy traffic.”

On social media, Temora Shire Council Mayor Rick Firman shared that funding was “great news for Temora Shire and all councils across rural and regional NSW”.

“Thanks to our State MP Steph and our NSW Government on this crucial boost to help us fix our pothole crisis.”

Premier Dominic Perrottet said the State Government had listened to the councils and understood the pressure they were under from many months of wet weather.

“This funding boost will help councils continue the huge job of bringing roads back up to scratch to keep our state moving,” Mr Perrottet said.

“We are making sure our roads are in the best nick possible so NSW families, truckies, farmers and tradies can travel around our state safely.

“We recognise potholes are a major hazard right now. This critical funding injection will help every council across the state patch up potholes as well as carry out other emergency repair work.”