February 1, 2022
South Burnett Regional Council will spend the remaining $2.2 million of its Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Federal grant funding on roadworks.
The money will be spent on roads identified by Council officers as having the highest priority needs for rehabilitation and renewal.
Officers will bring a list of potential road projects back to Council for consideration at the March Infrastructure Standing Committee, and the selected projects are expected to be completed by the end of the year.
The motion to spend the extra funding on roads was moved by Cr Kathy Duff, who said recent wet weather had emphasised the need to put more money into them.
Cr Kirstie Schumacher said Cr Duff was right, but moved an amendment that the funds be targeted at roads with the greatest immediate need.
Cr Duff agreed with this, and so did all other Councillors.
The amended motion was passed unanimously.
Footnote: At Wednesday’s Infrastructure Standing Committee meeting, Councillors were told the estimated total bill for flood and cyclone road damage could exceed $10 million. The council will try to claim as much of this as possible from disaster funding, but it is likely it could take up to a year before its claims are paid.
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Flooding in mid-November and the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Seth in early January have kept Council road crews busier than usual over the past six weeks.
Council officers reported they have so far inspected 1334 roads and found that 300 – or almost one-quarter – required emergency works.
The affected roads were spread over 80 localities, and roughly two-thirds have been repaired since early December.
Road crews were using their mobile software systems RECOVER and RACAS for damage capture, reporting and proof of emergency and restoration work so the costs of these emergency repairs can later be claimed under Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
The SBRC has also had to modify its current capital works and patrol grading programs while staff attended to flood damage.
The Council’s roadside slashing program has also been affected, but most areas are expected to be slashed by the end of February.
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