THE 2019-20 financial year is set to be the last year of big road spending for some time, thanks largely to an end to work on the Southern Feeder Road.
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Orange City Council's total roads, bridges and footpaths budget is set to be $41 million for capital replacements and $2.3 million for capital renewals.
More than $15 million for the Southern Feeder Road and almost $14 million for the CBD upgrade will account for much of the expenditure, while $5 million will be spent realigning Hill Street and building a roundabout at the intersection of William Maker Drive and the Northern Distributor Road and $2.8 million will be spent upgrading Forest Road south of Bloomfield.
In 2020-21, replacements will drop to $20 million and then $15 million in 2021-22, while renewals will increase to $5.6 million before falling again to $3.4 million.
About $1 million will remain in the budget for the road reseal and gravel program, gradually increasing year on year.
It will be interesting to see how [spray-sealed roads] hold up once we do get rain.
- Councillor Glenn Taylor
The footpaths program will remain at an inflated $350,000 for the next two years before returning to $100,000.
No money is expected to be spent on the Southern Feeder Road from the second half of 2020 onwards, with the Ploughmans Lane section still in planning, although $4 million has been earmarked for a roundabout at the intersection of Ploughmans Lane and the Escort Way and $2.8 million will be spent on Clergate Road.
Councillor Glenn Taylor and former mayor John Davis had extra funds added to the roads program a number of years ago to address falling standards.
Cr Taylor said he wanted to see expenditure continued and noted in particular he had seen a relaxing of the hot mix asphalt program.
"Prince Street was resurfaced last year - it was an ideal opportunity to hot mix it, it's a high-traffic road and we spray mixed it," he said.
Cr Taylor said the council hot mixed Hill Street 10 years ago and had not needed to touch it since.
"It will be interesting to see how [spray-sealed roads] hold up once we do get rain."
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