Orange City Council received almost $2 million in federal blackspot funding for 11 projects, including roundabouts at the intersection of Lords Place and March Street and the intersection of Moulder and Woodward streets.

A dogleg is planned for the intersection of Wentworth and Kenna streets.

Councillors resolved to project manage the dogleg work and conduct further negotiations with contractors for the roundabout works.

The council will also negotiate more funds with NSW Roads and Maritime Services.

With tenders for several projects recently failing to meet the council’s budget, infrastructure policy committee chair and councillor Glenn Taylor said it was due to supply and demand.

“I think there’s plenty of work for the contractors and when contractors have plenty of work, they tend to price them a bit higher,” he said.

“We’re pretty careful with pricing when we do our sums.”

He said road reconstruction was a priority for multiple councils, not just Orange, after a wet winter.

“We’re just one council,” he said.

However, the projects are due to start in March and no delays are expected.

“It’s going to make an enormous difference around town,” he said.

“The roundabout on Woodward Street will be huge for anyone with kids at Calare [Public School] because people have to shoot the gaps in the traffic and it’s a wonder there hasn’t been more accidents.”

He said the corners at the Lords Place intersection had been a concern for a long time.

“Its record proves it’s worthy of a roundabout,” he said.

Meanwhile, the council will seek extra funding from the federal government to realign Hill Street and build a roundabout at the intersection of Hill Street, the Northern Distributor Road and William Maker Drive.

Cr Taylor said the project was one of the most important roundabouts the council had attempted and would make the world of difference to North Orange.

“Once we complete the road across to Telopea Way [from William Maker Drive], it will free up the entire northern suburb,” he said.

“At the moment, you can sit there for awhile waiting to get a look [at turning onto the NDR].”