The Kings Highway has been allocated just $150,000 to fix a black spot near Carwoola in last week's Federal Budget, out of nearly $8 million granted to local roads in Eden Monaro.
Federal Member Gary Nairn said this week's budget includes an additional $307.5 million for local roads to be made available as a supplement to the Roads to Recovery Programme. Half of this funding will be delivered to local councils in the 2005-06 financial year and the other half will be distributed, as budgeted, in the 2006-07 financial year.
Palerang Council will receive $522,766 prior to June 30, with a further $522,766 next financial year. Other Councils in the area will receive; Cooma-Monaro Shire Council $430,878/$430,878; Eurobodalla Shire Council $631,515/$631,515; Queanbeyan City Council $324,184/$324,184
The President of the Shires Association of NSW, Cr Col Sullivan OAM, welcomed the increased local road funding, which amounted to nearly $86 million for NSW, or a 25% overall annual increase on the current four year Roads to Recovery Program which expires in 2008-2009. "Roads to Recovery is a direct funding mechanism, from the Federal to the Local Government. It is critically important to address a major road maintenance backlog," he said.
State MP Steve Whan said "As Gary Nairn was beating his chest over the $150,000 he managed to squeeze from his Federal Colleagues, the RTA was putting forward a Kings Highway report which puts a $40 million price-tag on improvements necessary as a result of the proposed new Defence Head Quarters," Steve Whan said. "Mr Nairn is throwing lunch money at, hoping the growing problem will disappear. "Is Mr Nairn even aware that, according to the NMRA, the proposed new Defence HQ, situated just down the road from Carwoola, will overwhelm traffic flow in the area by 140% during peak times?
"In particular the traffic generated by the Defence HQ will put intersections between Yass Road and the proposed Defence HQ site beyond their planned capacities - a decade ahead of time."
"The Federal Government has told the RTA it is considering its report, however in answer to a recent Senate Estimates question, the Howard Government indicated it was not committed to any funding, Mr Whan said.
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