Residents, particular those with children using school buses, along rural roads throughout Cowra Shire will be celebrating the news the Council has received a further $1.7 million in roads funding to be spent to improve roads in the shire over the next two years.
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The funding is part of $21,839,163 being invested in 43 road projects across the Cootamundra State electorate under a Fixing Local Roads program which is in addition to Federal Roads to Recovery funding.
Cowra Mayor, Councillor Bill West welcomed the funding, noting it will also improve roads for trucks and farm machinery and provide a economic boost to the region.
"There's a focus on school bus routes which is very important for school children getting to and from school... the bus operators, they have been lobbying for this as well," Cr West said.
"Because of the increase in the size and nature of trucks... it's a fair expectation that we start to widen and improve our roads where we can to cater for today's machines.
"It's also great for the economy in particular to get this sort of stimulus, of which the state government should be commended."
Pavement strengthening of gravel road school bus routes in the shire will see $1,297,500 spent on Tallarook Road, Troopers Road, Clements Road, Quartpot Road, Eagle View Road, Glen Logan Road, Sheep Station Road, Fragars Road, Pride of Oak Road, Wianamatta Road, Kirribilli Road, Mt McDonald Road and Kangaroo Flat Road.
Council had already allocated $432,500 of Roads to Recovery funding for these roads, taking the total funding for the work to $1.7 million.
Council has also received another $255,750 to be spent on sealing unsealed school bus routes on Quartpot Road, Mt McDonald Road and Kangaroo Flat Road to go with the $85,250 it had already allocated from Roads to Recovery.
Broula Road, Morongla Road, Noonbinna Road, Pine Mount Road, Macquarie Street and Kite Street receives a further $150,500 to go with the Roads to Recovery funding of $50,000 the council had allocated for heavy patching along these streets and roads.
Council is also planning to spend $347,702 of its Roads to Recovery drought assistance grant funds toward funding shoulder widening of Chiverton Road, Rivers Road, Purcell Drive and Sheet of Bark Road.
Council general manager Paul Devery said the funding allowed council to carry out improvements not normally earmarked for completion in the short term.
The state government has given councils two years to complete the works.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said the success of local projects was testament to the hard work of the Councils in the Cootamundra electorate.
"I am so proud of how our Councils have jumped at this opportunity to improve local roads and improve safety across the electorate," Ms Cooke said.
"This is a great partnership between all levels of government who have come together to improve road safety and kickstart our rural and regional economies at this tricky time."
The Australian Government has committed $191 million to build on the first round of the NSW Government's $500 million Fixing Local Roads program, ensuring even more regional communities benefit, faster.
NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole said the NSW Government was also accelerating its funding for the program to get more projects to seal, maintain and repair local roads under way faster.
"We're not just putting our foot down in terms of delivering this package - we're turbocharging it to ensure we create jobs and create better journeys on the roads that really matter to local communities," Mr Toole said.
