The move to ensure a safer alternative route for Princes Highway drivers south of Pambula has taken a step forward with the sealing of 0.5km of Nethercote Road.
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Users of Nethercote Road have been pleased to see not only the road repaired at a very sharp bend but sealed as well. At the bend, the road was falling away on one side, making it narrower and consequently more dangerous as ongoing traffic was difficult to see.
In March 2019, a serious two-vehicle crash in wet weather closed the Princes Highway for several hours between Eden and Pambula. Traffic was diverted onto Nethercote Road but heavy rain made the road dangerous for two-wheel drive vehicles and also caused significant damage to the unsealed pavement.
Council was successful in being awarded funds under the 2019 NSW Local Land Services Marine Estate Strategy Roads and Tracks program to undertake the seal upgrade of 0.5km of Nethercote Road.
The program is aimed at improving the water quality of the Marine Estate. The sealing works provides not only an improved environmental outcome to local waterways but improved amenity and safety to local residents.
The project to seal 0.5km of Nethercote Road is part of a larger project to provide an alternative access to the Princes Highway in the event of closure, council said.
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There remains between 2-3km of unsealed surface on Nethercote Road and council has placed the shovel-ready project as one of its top three road sealing priorities yet to be funded. The other two are Wanatta Lane and Tantawangelo Mountain Road.
"To facilitate a potential upgrade of the remaining unsealed section for alternative highway access to the Princes Highway, council has applied to a number of state and federal government programs in attempt to secure additional funding for the works," council said.
Further south west in the shire council has said it is finalising detailed design with consultants GHD Pty Ltd, and Transport for NSW for the upgrade of the Towamba and Burragate Roads.
"This refinement work is focused on ensuring the $10 million made available by the NSW government is used in the most cost effective and practical manner possible," council said.
The funding announcement was made by Bega MP Andrew Constance on January 20, 2019 and the delay in improvement of the road has caused anger among residents who called a meeting in November 2019 which was attended by councillors and council staff.
At that meeting Towamba residents were told that council had started planning work on sealing the Towamba Road and that they could expect to see some activity by April 2020. However the bushfires took a terrible toll on the area with much of the Towamba Road burnt right up to the very edges.
Council said that when completed the Towamba and Burragate Roads upgrade project would see the entire 47.4 kilometre stretch sealed, with the work to include sealing, pavement stabilisation, the installation of new guardrails, drainage works and signage to improve safety and driveability.
Council's manager property and project services assets and operations, Daniel Djikic, said with the design process nearing completion, the construction contract is set to go to tender next month.
"This extra layer of due diligence we are currently undertaking has meant we are currently slightly behind the original project timeline; however, we are still on track for construction to commence before Christmas this year and the project to be completed in 2021," Mr Djikic said.
