An upgrade to Old North Road, Rothbury is among the latest projects Cessnock City Council will submit to the NSW Government’s Restart NSW – Resources for Regions program.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The project proposes to upgrade the unsealed road – which is a popular shortcut from Wine Country Drive to Hermitage Road – to provide a sealed road and cycleways.
The submission may include a minor upgrade to Old North Road’s flood-prone causeway, but will not include plans for a bridge near the Black Creek crossing.
Council's director of works and infrastructure Justin Fitzpatrick-Barr said a 250-metre bridge would be required to alleviate a one-in-five-year flood, and for one-in-100-year events, the bridge would need to be 450 metres long.
“As part of the Resources for Regions submission that council resolved to submit for Old North Road, consideration will be given to a minor upgrade of the Black Creek causeway, however the submission will not include installation of a bridge,” Mr Fitzpatrick-Barr said.
“If the funding submission was successful a minor upgrade of the causeway may assist in the smaller storm events.”
The estimated cost of the project is $11.8 million.
Cessnock Council will approach Singleton Council about making a joint submission for the Old North Road project, on the back of the councils’ successful application for the Hermitage Road project in the previous Resources For Regions funding round.
The program aims to deliver improved local infrastructure and services in the state’s mining-affected communities.
Up to $32 million is available in the 2015-16 program, which has expanded to all regional local government areas that can demonstrate that they are mining-affected to a significant degree.
Upgrades to Cessnock Airport, a cycleway linking Cessnock with Kurri and the Hunter Expressway, and the masterplan for Bridges Hill, Convent Hill and East End Oval are the other projects Cessnock Council will submit for funding.
