Flood recovery roadworks approved

Berrigan Shire can now get started on another $4.66 million in flood recovery road works, after its repair program was approved by Transport for NSW.

While short of the $7.7 price tag estimated to fix all 1,811 faults submitted to TfNSW, Berrigan Shire Mayor Julia Cornwell McKean assured the community that none would be overlooked.

She said council has grants from other funding streams to address flood recovery works, and that more funding might become available over the life of the extensive program.

Cr Cornwell McKean also highlighted that the amount approved by TfNSW was actually higher than council originally anticipated.

“We have actually received a higher percentage than the average across New South Wales, so we’re quite pleased with that,” she said.

“We will look for efficiencies as we go through, and try and reduce costs where we can.

“We want to work as efficiently as we can to stretch that funding.

“It is also worth noting that this is a project that will go over a number of years.

“We also have other state funding which adds to this total.”

Council was previously promised just over $3.5 million from the state government in September, through the Regional Emergency Road Repair Fund.

This was in addition to $2.5 million allocated for flood recovery in Berrigan Shire.

The deadline for both of these previously allocated funding streams has since been extended to 2027.

Council’s timeline proposed roadworks on sealed and unsealed roads using the TfNSW approved funding must be completed by June 2025, but council is aiming for a June 2024 finish.

Work was scheduled to begin this week, but may have been impacted by the recent weather conditions.

Cr Cornwell McKean said repairs to road defects and other flood recovery works would take place over a number of years, and she said timing would be the key.

“The big thing with flood recovery is that if you repair the roads during a wet period, you’ll have to go back and do it again.

“We are working to capacity and we are working as fast as we can.”

Council has appointed Shepherd Services to provide an end-to-end service to manage the complete process of the approved TfNSW flood claim.