Gosford City mayor Cr Lawrie McKinna has called on local state members and candidates to get serious about local transport issues and help Gosford Council deliver its top 200 road projects.
Set to cost almost $500 million, Council’s top 200 road projects are part of an extensive infrastructure priorities list it has put together in the lead-up to the NSW State Election. Mayor Cr McKinna said the Council’s almost 1,100 kilometre road network is a major community asset that desperately needs infrastructure investment to renew and maintain it. “Some of our highest priority road projects in Gosford, Lisarow, Narara, Avoca Beach, Gunderman, Davistown, Kulnura, Umina Beach and Woy Woy will cost over $85 million,” he said. “When you consider that in 2013/2014 we only received around $7 million in grants from the NSW Government for transport infrastructure, you get a good idea about the investment lag we’re facing. “If this trend continues, it could be well over 50 years before we can even think about delivering other road projects in suburbs like Forresters Beach, Somersby, Terrigal, Wyoming, Empire Bay and West Gosford. “With hundreds of other services, supporting facilities and infrastructure to fund and deliver, the revenue Council brings in can only be spread so far. “If our local state members and candidates are really serious about local issues, then it’s time for them to have a really serious look at how severely underfunded our road network is. “Making sure that local infrastructure is able to sustain our community is an issue that I take very seriously. “It’s essential that every kilometre of our road network is in a satisfactory condition because residents and visitors rely heavily on this infrastructure as part of their day to day lives,” mayor McKinna said.
Media release,
25 Feb 2015
Gosford Council media