Rebuilding rural roads has become the priority of Yass Valley Council as it takes drastic measures to ensure the region's badly damaged roads are fixed.
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Council has listed the service level reviews scheduled for completion this financial year and roads have come in fifth on the list.
While outweighed by upgrades to the library, customer service, swimming pool and waste management, council hopes to have the ‘priority roads’ - damaged by ongoing wet weather – fixed by Christmas.
“Yass Valley Council is working tirelessly to assess our entire unsealed road network to understand the problem areas and address urgent matters,” Works Engineer Cole Davis said.
“The wet weather experienced over winter has been unprecedented. There’s a back log of work because when it rains, the graders can’t work or recommence work until the roads have dried out.”
Council has been working on prioritising restoration works in an effort to minimise further deterioration of the network.
Yet, council has assured that service level reviews should be implemented in the coming months, as the Yass Valley emerges from the wet season.
Mr Davis, who has only been at the council for 11 months, has changed the structure of the grading process to improve the standards met by other councils.
“More money than ever has been committed to fixing our unsealed road network,” he continued. “Yass Valley roads aren’t nearly as bad as some in the Lachlan Shire and other places I have worked.”
Despite criticism by the community over the roads, Mr Davis says that with the new equipment council has purchased will ensure the longevity of the roads.
“We are really just asking residents to be patient,” he said.