$2.8M FOR NORTHERN TABLELANDS COUNCILS’ ROAD & BRIDGE UPGRADES

NORTHERN Tablelands MP Adam Marshall has today announced more than $2.8 million in State government funding to assist four of the region’s councils undertake major road and bridge improvements projects, valued at over $4.8 million.

 

Mr Marshall congratulated Armidale Dumaresq Council, Inverell Shire Council, Moree Plains Shire Council and Uralla Shire Council on their successful applications to the government’s new Fixing Country Roads program.

 

“These councils have been working hard to address their infrastructure backlogs and to make their road networks more efficient for freight,” Mr Marshall said.

 

“The $42.85 million Fixing Country Roads funding initiative was developed by the NSW Government to help regional councils upgrade their old roads and bridges which cause freight pinch point or ‘last mile’ problems.

 

“There’s nothing worse for a local economy than roads and bridges not being up to the task of carrying freight in an efficient and cost effective manner.”

 

Mr Marshall said Armidale Dumaresq Council would be receiving $600,000 to seal a 1.6 kilometre section of the Rockvale Road, which joins the busy Guyra to Ebor Road.

 

“Council has been looking at this project for some time and this injection of funding now means upgrade can go ahead,” he said.

 

Inverell Shire Council will be able to replace the ageing Tin Tot Bridge between Graman and Ashford with a modern concrete structure thanks to $800,000 from the program.

 

“Tin Tot is council’s last remaining timber bridge in the Shire, so its replacement with a new and higher bridge is a huge achievement for council,” Mr Marshall said.

 

Moree Plains Shire Council will benefit from $700,000 to assist with widening the road seal on the important freight route between Moree and Croppa Creek.

 

“This road carries many millions of dollars’ worth of produce each year out of this region and the widening of the road will not only make it much safer for all motorists but also allow higher mass vehicles to be permitted to use the road,” Mr Marshall said.

 

Uralla Shire Council is celebrating the news of $705,000 which means it will be able to undertake another major bridge replacement on Thunderbolts Way, this time the Abington Creek Bridge.

 

“The bridge is an old and narrow one-lane timber deck bridge on a dangerous bend so its replacement will have huge benefits for the efficient transport of freight and goods through our region,” Mr Marshall said.

 

Mr Marshall said he was incredibly proud of the hard work carried out by all four councils to secure funding for these major projects.

 

He said the councils had also made important funding contributions to the projects: Armidale Dumaresq Council ($200,000), Inverell Shire Council ($200,000), Moree Plains Shire Council ($408,000) and Uralla Shire Council ($43,000).

 

“I congratulate these councils for their vital funding commitments, representing a genuine working partnership with the NSW Government,” Mr Marshall said.

 

Uralla Shire Council was successful in receiving $705,000 from the Australian Government under its Bridges Renewal Programme for its project.

 

“The remaining funding for the project will be delivered from the existing historic roads budget for regional NSW.”

 

Projects funded under Fixing Country Roads were selected purely on merit by an independent Assessment Panel made up of representatives from the NSW Farmers Association, Livestock and Bulk Carriers Association of NSW, Local Government NSW, Infrastructure NSW and senior officials from Transport for NSW Freight and Regional Development and the Office of Local Government.

 

Mr Marshall said this was a prime example of taking politics out of infrastructure funding; not to mention utilising the knowledge and expertise of recognised industry leaders from country NSW.

 

“The NSW Government is working closely with both local government and industry to reverse a $4 billion backlog in critical council-owned road infrastructure,” he said.

 

Mr Marshall said that if the NSW Government was re-elected then a further $500 million would flow to future funding rounds of Fixing Country Roads.

 

“This means those projects not selected by the independent Assessment Panel will get further opportunities for funding in the future,” he said.

 

MEDIA: Adam Marshall 0429 440 054 or 02 6772 5552

 

Northern Tablelands project details

 

Council Project description NSW Government funding ($) Council contribution

($)

Federal ($) Total cost ($)
Armidale Dumaresq Council Rockvale Road Upgrade, 1.6km north of Boundary Creek.

 

By addressing the most problematic section on Rockvale Road, the project creates significant travel time reductions for heavy vehicles in bad weather and a safer route for all road users.

600,000 200,000 800,000
Inverell Shire Council Tin Tot Bridge Replacement

 

Improves access, provides shorter freight route (savings of 100km round trips between Gunnee Feedlot and Warwick, and 180km per round trip between Gunnee Feedlot and Toowoomba) and improves access during flooding of Macintyre River.

800,000 200,000 1,000,000
Moree Plains Shire Council Widen seal on Moree to Croopa Creek Road.

 

Widen the seal on remaining 7km of this road about 45km north east of Moree to allow the use of Higher Mass Vehicles (HMV).

700,000 408,000 500,000

(Roads to Recovery program)

1,608,000
Uralla Shire Council Abington Creek Bridge (Replacement of single-lane timber bridge to two-lane concrete bridge (HML).

 

Abington Creek bridge is a vital link on an important connection between the North West and New England Highway, and would result in a more reliable route for the livestock industry.

705,000 43,000 705,000

(Bridges Renewal Program)

1,453,000

 

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