As repairs crumble just months after completion without the budget to concrete the road, councillors have discussed fixing it and signing it over to the state government in exchange for the existing Mitchell Highway alignment through Summer Street.

Asked whether the state government acknowledged the NDR’s role in taking heavy traffic off Summer Street, Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight Duncan Gay reinforced member for Orange Andrew Gee’s earlier comments last week, saying the NDR was under the council’s care and control, not the state government’s.

“If council is concerned about the condition of the Northern Distributor Road, then I suggest they review their annual budget and how they distribute their funding, both government grant funding and ratepayers’ money,” he said.

“The council built the Northern Distributor Road, which it now claims requires major repairs.

“Why then, would the NSW Government trust council to satisfactorily upgrade important sections of a major state highway?”

Mr Gay said the council had already received an 80 per cent increase in roads funding since Mr Gee was elected in 2011.

“This represents more than $5.4 million since 2011,” he said.

“Furthermore, the NSW government has also committed $2 million to help the council fast track construction of the Southern Feeder Road. 

“This is a very generous commitment for what is a council owned and managed asset.”

Orange mayor John Davis said the comments were fair given the road’s current condition, but envisaged negotiation would occur once the state government was confident the road would not be a liability.

“I believe that the council staff and councillors will come up with a fix and it will make it more commercial,” he said.

“We’re doing as much patching as we can and when we get to October, we will have a plan to go ahead.”

Mr Gee was contacted for comment.

danielle.cetinski@fairfaxmedia.com.au