Disaster recovery work is underway across Cabonne Shire to rebuild and strengthen transport infrastructure following the 2022 floods which caused widespread damage in NSW’s Central West.
Work is now underway to improve the drainage capacity and efficacy of causeways along key roads in the shire, with planning and design being prepared for improvements to a number of bridges across the shire.
These two transport infrastructure upgrade packages are made possible through the Regional Transport Resilience Fund (RTRF) provided jointly by the NSW and Federal Governments under Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
Disaster recovery funding of up to $3.8 million will cover the installation of concrete floodways, table drains, box culverts, pipe culverts, headwalls and concrete decks at various locations across the Cabonne LGA.
A further $5.3 million in disaster recovery funding will enable a package of bridge work, which will involve:
- Raising the bridge deck at Canomodine Lane Bridge, Canowindra
- Culvert upgrades on Edward Street, Cudal
- Replacing the Baghdad Road Bridge, Cargo
- Raising the bridge deck at Ophir Road Bridge, Ophir
- Replacing the Kiewa Street footbridge, Manildra
Forbes, Lachlan and Parkes LGAs also received betterment funding for infrastructure upgrades to improve resilience.
Federal Minister for Emergency Management, Kristy McBain, said that the DRFA supported RTRF allows these Central West communities to continue to rebuild following the devastating floods in 2022.
“Cabonne, Forbes, Lachlan and Parkes LGAs were all invited to apply for project-specific funding to carry out upgrades on damaged local roads and bridges and to help better prepare for future severe weather events with nine projects receiving funding,” McBain said.
“These Central West councils will share in more than $30 million of disaster relief funding as their communities continue to rebuild from floods while also doing whatever can be done to improve future flood resilience using clever design.”
NSW Minister for Regional Transport, Jenny Aitchison, said that the Central West Regional Transport Resilience Funding (RTRF) forms part of the $100 million Central West Recovery and Resilience Package.
“Importantly, this package focuses on building back better to ensure communities across the Central West are better prepared in the face of future disasters,” Aitchison said.
“The aim is to ensure local road and bridge infrastructure is built back to better withstand disasters and to improved standards.”
NSW Minister for Recovery, Janelle Saffin, said that the impact of the 2022 floods was felt across 11,000 kilometres of the Central West, with some areas remaining underwater for extended periods of time, causing significant impact on the transport network and community connectivity.
“It is because of the advocacy of these councils and their commitment to community restoration that this funding has been able to be secured,” Saffin said.
“This work starting in Cabonne is a huge step forward for community recovery in this region.”
