Roads & Pathways

Roads & Bridges

Council’s prime objective in managing the Region’s road network is to provide infrastructure that allows safe, convenient and comfortable travel to, from, and within the Region. This involves both maintaining existing roads and planning for future improvements.

Achieving this objective is constrained by the availability of funding from general rate revenue supplemented by Federal and State Government grants.

Each year Council issues an updated list of works planned for the next 12 months in its annual Road Strategic Plan. A copy of the strategy can be found here.

Council staff conduct regular inspections of Council roads to monitor road condition so that maintenance works can be efficiently programmed and completed.  On sealed roads, maintenance requirements include patching of potholes and other defects, street sweeping, remarking of faded line marking and resurfacing of roads on a periodic basis. On unsealed (gravel) roads, maintenance services provided include gravel resheeting, grading, pothole patching and clearing of open drains.

The road network in Mid-Western is categorised into three classes:

  1. State Roads - fully funded and managed by State Government, however Council has for the 2009/10 financial year agreed to make a contribution to construction of the Douro / Market Streets roundabout, subject to the provision of State Government funds;
  2. Regional Roads - fully funded by State Government and Council but managed by Council;
  3. Council Roads – these roads are, in the main, funded by Council with minor Government assistance.

Road Group

Sealed (kms)

Gravel (kms)

Total Length

State Highways

163.3

0.0

163.3

Regional

349.2

26.6

375.8

Council Roads

- Rural

454.6

1,279.1

1,733.7

- Towns & Villages

140.9

33.4

174.3

Total

1107.9

1341.6

2447.1

Roads are a major portion of Council’s expenditure program and Council is very aware of the high community expectations.  Council recently increased its road maintenance budget by some $1.4 million over and above the previous level of service, Council provided an additional $250,000 for unsealed road maintenance and rehabilitation of sealed roads in 2009/10.  It is planned that this proposed additional funding will be recurrent in future years.

These are the major works planned for 2009/10 include:

  • Seal extensions including Hill End Road, Linburn Lane, Queens Pinch Road, and Mebul Road
  • Carwell Bridge – Council proposes to replace the one lane Carwell Bridge (on the Kandos to Ilford Road) - subject to obtaining funding.
  • Resurfacing / rehabilitation on Brogan's Creek, Narrango, Lahey’s Creek, Barney’s Reef, Spring Creek, Windeyer, Crudine and Lue Roads, Barrigan Street and Henry Lawson Drive.
  • Rehabilitation works on Ulan and Cope Roads. This is part of the ongoing annual program and will continue for as long as the coal mines are in operation as part of ongoing funding agreements with the mines. Additional works are also proposed on Hill End, Goolma and Wollar Roads and Bylong Valley Way.
  • New roundabout at the Ulan Road and Pitt Lane intersection to Glen Willow sports fields.
  • Roundabout at the intersection of Market and Douro Streets, Mudgee, subject to RTA funding.
  • Council has allocated funds to continue the annual tree lopping program to improve safety on major rural roads in the region.
  • Gravel resheeting of 43km.
  • Maintenance grading of over 950km to bring back to standard identified in Road Plan, noting that roads still in satisfactory condition won’t be regraded.
  • Roads 2 Recovery – In 2009/10 Council will receive $1,062,048 for major rehabilitation works on Council roads.
  • Blackspot repair works on Ulan and Lue Roads to the value of $1.06 million.

And in future years Council plans to undertake the following works:

  • Fairydale Lane (Mudgee) upgrade – As and when the residential land is expanded in Mudgee Council proposes an upgrade of this road which will be funded from S94 contributions. 
  • Roundabout at the intersection of Lewis and Mortimer Streets, Mudgee, subject to the Mortimer Street mall development proceeding.
  • Coricudgy Road – Council will continue discussions with State Government regarding the opportunity of opening this road through the State Forest and National Park to Putty Road as a 4WD road and another alternative tourism entrance road to the Mid-Western region.  

Pathways

There are in excess of 44km of footpaths and over 11km of constructed cycleways within the region. There are approx 4.1km of “Off Road” shared Cycle/Footways in Mudgee and 6.9km of constructed shared Cycle/Footways in the Rylstone/Kandos/Charbon area.

Council proposes over the next few years to initiate a major capital works program for new footpaths and cycleways (pathways program).

$150,000 has been allowed per annum for new pathway development within the Region. Council has an adopted pathway strategy which lists the projects for future years.  This will be reviewed annually to ensure it remains current to meet the community’s needs. A copy of the strategy can be found here.

These are the major works planned for this year:

  • Construction of new pathways in Bellevue Rd, Inglis, Denison, Mortimer and Bayley Streets.
  • Extension of the path between Kandos and Clandulla over the next 5 years.
  • The improved maintenance of all footpaths in the region.

And in future years Council plans to undertake the following works:

  • Continuation of the pathway program at a reduced rate of $150,000 per annum.
  • Construction of a pedestrian bridge over the bridge at Clandulla in 2011/12.
  • Investigate safe pedestrian access including a walkway and foot bridge from Mudgee township to Glen Willow sports fields.