Bridges and Roads Update

There are still no new bridges as we approach the two-year anniversary of the infamous 2-tonne limit at Marlee, but they are still on Greater Taree City Council's horizon. Certainly the raising of that limit to 8 tonnes has made this waiting game at least tolerable, so there are small achievements to be thankful for.

Another positive is the securing of $2.5 million in State contribution to the bridges, after a full year of intensively lobbying our MP Andrew Stoner prior to the election. We are hopeful that this contribution may be raised to $3 - or even $3.5 - million though not in this financial year. This would make the State contribution 50%, as originally promised, because Council's estimate has gone up from $5 million to $7 million following the first tender process which failed in March this year. The new design tender has just been advertised, the construction tender is planned for April 2012, so there won't be any work on site till around the middle of next year.

Council is planning for two new concrete two-lane bridges, Duffs being on a new road approach, and Marlee using the existing road. This means that Marlee Bridge will have to be completely closed for a period while the old bridge is being demolished and the new one constructed. However, Council is anticipating this closure to be only for 7 to 10 days!

Further up Bulga Rd, extensive damage resulted from the flooding rains in June, with numerous landslip sites including a major one near Elands, which will all cost an estimated $2.8 million to repair. We have, only this morning, spoken about the state of the roads around Ellenborough Falls on ABC Mid North Coast radio, followed by Wendy Machin, president of the NRMA, who is visiting Wingham today and planning to take the Tourist Drive 8 route herself to Wauchope tomorrow morning. We have been in contact with Ms Machin and her Regional Policy Specialist in recent weeks and hope to speak to them this afternoon. Their stated aim for this north coast trip is to start looking more at the back roads.

We have also lodged a submission with NSW Roads Minister, Duncan Gay, requesting that the Tourist Drive 8 route be reclassified to Regional Road status, thereby ensuring that there will be annual State assistance dedicated to this roadwork on these roads. Bulga Rd was a Regional Road when the tourist route was first designated, but was declassified in 1996 leaving Council solely responsible for the road maintenance costs. Andrew Stoner continues to support this endeavour and meet with us on a regular basis. Council has also assured us they are working towards the same end in their dealings with the Roads Minister.

We have been informed by Council's Tourism Coordinator that from November this year, $5 million will be spent on RTA signage to direct tourists to the top ten 'must see' attractions between Sydney and Brisbane. Ellenborough Falls is one of these ten. We are asking the Minister to commit to reclassification before the inevitable increase in tourist traffic begins. Our main reason is road safety, so we are focusing on increasing road width in the narrow spots, safety barriers, pruning of vegetation, and maintaining good surface conditions through resheeting and regular grading.

As you can see, although nothing appears to be happening on the ground, we are continuing to lobby and there is some progress, slow though it may be. As always, we welcome your thoughts, comments and any offers to get involved!

BULGA ROAD RECTIFICATION WORKS COMPLETE - 4th April 2011

We are pleased to finally receive confirmation from GTCC that the Bulga Road rectification works are complete. Whilst there is a defects liability period in place, we expect/hope that the works will provide the much needed stability the road deserves.

Council has also confirmed that ongoing maintenance to the road will continue, as per other like maintenance within the valley.

Thanks to all for their feedback and patience whilst the works were undertaken.

BULGA ROAD REMEDIATION WORKS & BRIDGES UPDATE - JANUARY 2011

Representatives of TD8 met with GTCC, Coffey Projects and CivilTeam (works contractor) on Wednesday 19th January 2011.

GTCC has provided minutes of the meeting and as such amendments have been made to the previous blog update. In summary:

The Bulga Road Remediation Works

Commencement of works

Physical work will commence Monday 31st January 2011
You may start seeing equipment and material on location prior to works commencing.

Duration of works

The road will be closed from 9.00 am to 3.30 pm Monday to Saturday (most Saturdays however this will be arranged the week before). Sunday will be a special case if emergencies arise (need to apply and seek advance approval).

Detour signage will be arranged next week by Council and will be placed at:

- Installed at Colling Road in the Port Macquarie Shire area
- Colling Road and Swans Road.

TD8 requested signage at the Wingham Bridge turn off to Elands (so traffic may take the alternative route prior to travel towards Elands). GTCC will consult with its Variable Message Board supplier to see if it may be possible to change the wording at the start and end of each shift to advise of the road status.

If the detour signage is not erected or if the detour signage at Wingham Bridge states otherwise, the road will be available for use. At this stage works contractor (CivilTeam) cannot be specific as to when this may occur during the course of the project.

Works should take 8 weeks, with completion earmarked for 31st March 2011. It is hoped that works will be completed prior to school holidays. This of course is dependent upon weather.

There is no opportunity to provide a 1/2 day access once a week during the works, primarily due to budget constraints and in turn project timetable extension.

Works

Works consist of only remediation/rectification to those areas affected by the February 2008 rain. The disaster relief funding provided by the RTA will only cater for 'like for like' rectification and does not include any additional improvements to the Bulga Road. There are four site locations.

Two of the bigger areas will be road reconstruction. Site Four - lowest on the mountain - the carriageway will be excavated into the hillside so the road will be widened. Site two (next slip uphill) will be widened by constructing a retaining wall on the fill side of the road. This will result in these areas of the road being two lanes wide (approx. 5 metres).

No additional safety barriers/guards or signage, etc will be provided as it has not been allowed for within the RTA funding.

Emergency Services & Mailman

GTCC advised that they will be advising the Emergency Services of the project and who to contact. GTCC also has confirmed that members of the community should not advise emergency services of the status of road closures.

Please note that the above comments are as per GTCC advice and are not the opinions or advice from TD8. If you have any queries or wish to seek clarification on this matter please direct them to GTCC.

GTCC and its contractors will be making contact with the Mailman to discuss his day to day activities and timetable in order to ensure that the mail is delivered.

Comboyne Road and Colling Road

TD8 highlighted the poor state of roads within the Hasting Shire, given that these roads will be used as the alternate route.

GTCC has now confirmed that Port Macquarie/Hasting Council will 'pull out all stops to grade their section of Colling Road prior to 31st January 2011. Additionally, they undertook to regularly inspect its condition during the contract period'. Should the road deteriorate during works GTCC will plan road maintenance upon advice.

Information Centres - Port Macquarie/Taree

GTCC has advised in a separate email that they will be notifying the relevant information centres of the impending works and project timetable.

Ongoing Communication

Coffey Projects will be providing regular updates to GTCC. who in turn committed to provide regular updates to the community during the construction phase. Unless there is a major project issue at which time GTCC will communicate via its normal channels.

MARLEE & DUFFS BRIDGES

GTCC has signed permits to enter for properties from relevant parties giving GTCC authorisation to enter the properties during the bridge work. During, or most likely following, the bridge works, negotiations will take place will affected land owners regarding acquisitions.

Tenders for the works close on 17th February 2011. GTCC will take 2-3 weeks to access the tenders and thereafter, a report will be presented to the March Council Meeting.

TD8 and GTCC will meet thereafter to discus the outcome of the tender process.


TD8 will maintain communication with the community as and when meetings or other related information comes to hand.

Meantime, we suggest that if you have any particular queries outside of the above provided you should contact GTCC direct. Duncan Clarke is the GTCC representative for both projects.

Stoner commits to Marlee and Duffs bridge cause

ALEX DRUCE

30 Nov, 2010 12:35 PM

OPPOSITION spokesperson for roads, Andrew Stoner, has stood by his commitment to lessen the financial burden on Greater Taree City Council ratepayers and help fund the replacement of Marlee and Duffs bridges if his party wins the State election in March next year.

Mr Stoner, State member for Oxley, told the Wingham Chronicle this week he stands by his belief that the State government is responsible for funding 50 per cent of the replacement of the two bridges, despite the Bulga Road being a local government priority.

Mr Stoner also stated if the Nationals and Liberals are elected next year, making him the State roads minister, the party will seek a contribution from the Federal Government for the project, further cutting the cost of replacing the bridges for Greater Taree City Council.

The Marlee and Duffs bridges are on Bulga Road, part of Tourist Drive 8, which stretches from Wingham to Ellenborough Falls and Comboyne.

Greater Taree City Council committed in June to replacing the ailing bridges by the end of 2012 as an immediate capital works priority. This means over the next two financial years the city council will allocate its entire bridge replacement program to the two bridges, and borrow additional funds as needed.

Mr Stoner has however voiced his opinion that there is a ‘precedent’ for the State Government to fund 50 per cent of the works.

The Tourist Drive 8 (TD8) Action Group, a lobby group made up of local residents, received written confirmation of Mr Stoner’s stance on this issue in May this year.

Mr Stoner’s ‘precedent’ refers to Recommendation 5 of the 2007 Roads Classification Review which stated that roads being declassified should remain eligible for any future bridge funding program that specifically targets regional roads. Indeed, the Kew Road which was earmarked for declassification in 2007, received funding for three new bridges in 2009/2010 under the Timber Bridge Replacement Program for Regional Roads.

Spending State funds on Duffs and Marlee bridges, which are on a ‘local road’, on the basis that it was a ‘regional road’ before 1996, would be retrospectively applying the principle of Recommendation 5.

However, Mr Stoner has indicated to TD8 members that this would give him sufficient justification to allocate funding normally aimed at regional road bridges.

Mr Stoner also suggested to TD8 in May that the financial burden of replacing the bridges could be lessened on Greater Taree City Council ratepayers should the Federal government come to the table to create an equal one-third sharing of the cost between the three levels of government.

It is understood members of the TD8 group will ask Lyne MP Rob Oakeshott to match the 33 per cent contribution proposed by Mr Stoner, or, in the event there is no contribution from the State, at least a 50 per cent contribution, when they meet with the Federal MP this week.

“Marlee and Duffs bridges service an important tourist route of State and national significance with benefits flowing to a much wider population that just the ratepayers of the Manning Valley,” TD8 member Sandra Kwa said.

“I am hoping Rob Oakeshott will be able to rise to the ‘equal one-third contribution’ challenge, which would mean a saving to GTCC of $3.3m, being two-thirds of the mooted $5 million cost. I would love to see some of that saving spent on making Bulga and Colling Roads a safer and more pleasant drive.”

Page:

1

2

single page

GTCC Meeting with TD8 - Wednesday 17th September 2010

TD8 met with GTCC as a follow up to the last TD8 meeting held late May 2010. The meeting agenda was based upon the outcomes of the May 2010 meeting, in which GTCC advised on the progress being made for both the bridges and Bulga Road projects.

In summary:

Marlee & Duffs Bridges

- All geo tech reports are now back and are being scrutinised
- Land acquisition around Duffs bridge appears to be traveling well
- Land acquisition around Marlee bridge may have a few issues, however GTCC is working on solutions
- Tender documentation should be offered prior to Christmas with tenders due back by then. GTCC is looking to award the tender in January/February 2011
- GTCC will consult with us prior to the awarding of the tender
- The final timing of the construction of both bridges will be determined largely by the timing in the successful tender
- Approach to replacement of bridges will again largely be determined by the successful tender

Bulga Road

- 80% of the design is completed
- Tender documents are currently being drafted
- Tender documentation should be offered towards the end of October
- Works are earmarked to be completed first quarter 2011, subject to weather

Regarding the opportunity for financial assistance, GTCC is in discussion with Rob Oakeshott MP office towards gaining a better understanding of the details and discussions had with Mr Oakeshott MP and the newly elected Labor government. This will become clearer over the coming months.

TD8 will be meeting with GTCC early next year once the tenders are due to be awarded in respect to the Bridges.

Our State MP's Response

Andrew Stoner, Member for Oxley, visited Elands Store on Friday 7 May and spoke with a group of local residents, including Sandra Kwa from TD8. They continued a discussion about the potential eligibility of Marlee and Duffs Bridges for State assistance under any future Timber Bridges Replacement Programs, given that Bulga Road was previously a Regional Road, and the most recent RTA Review Panel recognised local councils' need for financial assistance for bridges on declassified roads.

In an email dated Monday 10 May, Mr Stoner has promptly confirmed his position on funding for the two bridges, and his support for Tourist Drive 8 generally.

In my opinion, there is a precedent for the NSW Government to use the Timber Bridge Replacement Program for roads which were a State responsibility prior to reclassification.

In my view this should apply to TD8 - in other words in my opinion it is the responsibility of the State Government to fund 50% of the cost of replacing Marlee and Duffs Bridges.

That said, David Gillespie is pursuing a Federal contribution, given that the TD8 is an important tourist route for regional economic development.

Should the Federal Government agree, it would be an equal one-third contribution between local, state and federal governments.

Kind regards

Andrew Stoner MP
Member for Oxley

Should the Coalition win the election next March, and should he retain his seat, it is quite likely that Andrew Stoner would become the next State Minister for Roads and Transport.

The four TD8 members who met with the present Labor Minister, David Campbell, saw first-hand his disinterest in our predicament. At least Andrew Stoner is from this region, knows the people, drives the roads - this is his habitat too, so surely he would be a more empathetic minister than the city-based one we have now?

Realistically, Oxley is a safe Nationals seat, so the votes of our small community here won't change the course of the next NSW parliament. However, Mr Stoner laments that Elands is the one booth he can't seem to win, and an historic turn-around next March, at this booth, would send out a message of protest against our treatment by the current minister.

Don't take "no" for an answer.

TD8 Action Group
www.td8actiongroup.blogspot.com
td8actiongroup@gmail.com
PO Elands NSW 2429

Hon David Campbell, Minister for Transport
Mr Gavin Hill, Policy Advisor
Mr Joe Krsul, Asset Manager RTA Hunter Region,

Hon Barbara Perry, Minister for Local Government
Hon Kristina Keneally, Premier of NSW

Dear representatives and staff of the people of NSW,

Re: Letter from David Campbell MP to TD8 Action Group dated 19 March 2010 re Marlee and Duffs Bridges.

We wish to bring to your attention a serious error contained in the above letter (attached), which may indicate mistaken advice upon which the Minister for Transport has subsequently made a wrong decision.

Mr Campbell, your letter states: "I am advised that the (Greater Taree City) council receives funding assistance through ... the Timber Bridge Replacement Program for bridges on regional roads".

In fact, this council receives no such funding because none of its numerous failing timber bridges are on "regional roads". They are all on local roads, or roads which were shifted from regional to local as is the case with Marlee and Duffs Bridges.

This was the whole reason why we, and our Council, made the long trip with our detailed submission, to meet with you, Mr Campbell, and you, Mr Hill, on 15 December 2009. We thought it was very clear, and certainly you, Mr Krsul, are aware, that your RTA Timber Bridge program completely excludes the Greater Taree LGA, leaving us disadvantaged compared with other LGAs, some of which have had multiple bridges funded.

Mr Hill, you will recall we even stressed to you by phone (Friday 12 March), that this unfair exclusion renders the Minister morally obligated, if not technically, to provide assistance to Greater Taree. We are at a total loss as to how this error has been made.

Please, Mr Campbell, on the basis of this clarification now, reconsider your decision.

Your response has been: "the RTA is not in a position to provide supplementary funding". We were not asking the RTA; we are asking you for ministerial discretionary funding. Our State and Federal MPs, and Michael Pappadopoulos in the RTA, told us that you have access to such funds for additional projects considered on merit. Is this not the case?

Since you have deemed these bridges, on a State-designated tourist route (to the State's highest single-drop waterfall), do not merit State support, and you are fully aware of Council's inability to cope without State assistance, what do you suggest Council should do?

The Percy Allan Report, Are Councils Sustainable?, recommended in 2006 that Commonwealth and State Governments increase their grants by $200 million a year. In our council alone, the infrastructure backlog is now $170million. Professor Allan recognises "the special problems of rural councils, which, because of their vast road networks and narrow rate bases, will only survive with increased grant funding". (P. Allan, p.7) What is your response to Percy Allan's recommendations?

Why, in the RTA's recent NSW Road Classification Review, was there a net shift of resources away from rural roads and in favour of Sydney roads? (Final Report 2007, p.22) How does this help the special problems of rural councils mentioned above?

We are told by Council that for 50 years there has been "State cost shifting of services and infrastructure onto local councils". (Building a Better Future, Frequently Asked Questions, GTCC, p.4) Why did this happen? If State cost shifting is partly to blame for our infrastructure problems, then surely the State should contribute to the solutions? What savings can the State make in other areas in order to place a higher priority on roads and bridges?

If an accident occurs because of a substandard road where it has been financially impossible for the local council to maintain it, who is liable? Can councils cost shift back up to the State? If the State Transport Minister hasn't the funds to ensure all the roads in NSW are safe, shouldn't the State in turn seek to cost shift back up to the Commonwealth?

Ms Perry, is it fair that our Council should now be seeking a massive rate increase of 57.4% over four years (12% per annum compounding) in an attempt to cost shift the burden of chronic government cost shifting unilaterally onto the ratepayers of Greater Taree?

Isn't it time all levels of government started to work as one? We've heard enough blame shifting. Local councils deserve more than 5% of the public resource pool. (Percy Allan, p.7)

The ratepayers are prepared for some increase, and indeed should be paying a fair rate that is comparable to other LGAs, but an increase this size will surely cause hardship to many struggling families in this low socio-economic region. We are already facing steep increases in power and water bills. A sudden rate increase may be the last nail in the coffin, particularly for young families of modest income enticed into home ownership by well-intentioned government schemes.

Ms Keneally, as our Premier, please show the people of Greater Taree, and all the statewide, nationwide and worldwide visitors who are drawn to this beautiful region, that you care and are proud of what we have to offer. Crumbling roads and bridges reflect so poorly on this State and are a hazard for all road users. Please show us the compassion that your Transport Minister could not seem to muster. Please influence him to reverse his decision regarding Council's modest request for $2 million - less than a 50% contribution - towards the replacement of Marlee and Duffs Bridges. This gesture will ease the pain and burden of a community facing an insurmountable infrastructure nightmare.

We look forward to replies from all addressees to this letter.

Thankyou for taking careful note of our views.

Yours sincerely,

Ms Sandra Kwa
Mr David Marks
Mr Ken Cameron
Mr Colin Hurrell
Ms Janeece Irving
Ms Rosemary Lembke

31/3/10