Roads in Newcastle will be built back better after recent floods, with almost $8 million to be spent locally on upgrades.
Following last year’s devastating floods, $312.5 million was committed by the Albanese and NSW governments to help rebuild damaged roads and transport infrastructure for 26 disaster-declared councils in NSW, with 2 successful projects announced in the electorate of Newcastle:
| Project Name | Project Description | Funding amount | Administered by |
| Betterment of HW10 Pacific Highway Seg 80 to Seg 8010 and Seg 8110 New England Highway Hexham – Repair and upgrade transverse drainage | Drainage improvements | $4,000,000 | Transport for NSW |
| Betterment of Old Maitland Road Hexham – Road Renewal | Renewal of Old Maitland Road Hexham including shoulder reconstruction on both sides. | $3,957,265.00 | City of Newcastle |
Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon MP welcomed the local funding and said better quality roads had been on locals’ wishlists for some time.
“These roads really copped it during the floods. It’s great to see the government listen, and provide money to fix them up and actually make them better,” she said.
“This funding provides the opportunity to look at roads that have been damaged in the past and see if raising them or using different materials will stop them from flooding, or at least reduce the impact.
“This will ensure communities are safer, while also reducing repair costs in the future.”
A total of 57 projects that will improve the resilience of roads, bridges and causeways have been successful under this package, which will greatly benefit local communities now and into the future.
Minister for Emergency Management, Murray Watt said under this program, roads and transport infrastructure will be rebuilt to a higher standard, making them more resilient to future disasters.
“We saw a lot of towns cut-off because of the floods, and that created concerns around accessibility, evacuation plans and supply chains,” Minister Watt said.
“Straight after the floods, the Commonwealth and NSW Governments activated disaster recovery funding to help councils with emergency repair work, to help regions get back on their feet. But we know that longer-term support to build back better is really important to make sure communities are better prepared for future natural disasters.”
Further information about the Regional Roads and Transport Recovery Package, including the full list of successful projects, is available here: https://nswroads.work/rrtrp