The City of Busselton in Western Australia is making sure road funding goes to the rural areas that need it most.
Located in the State’s South West, the City is one of Western Australia’s top tourist destinations and a recognised regional growth centre.
A network of rural roads link communities, business and tourist spots across the region; these roads are used heavily by visitors, industry, and the increasing number of residents choosing to live in rural and semi-rural areas.
As part of a strategic focus on rural road renewal, Council has made a firm commitment to expedite upgrade work to single lane country roads in high-use rural areas.
Mayor Grant Henley said this approach would ensure funding goes to the areas that need it most.
“City of Busselton Council has adopted a more workable funding split to direct resources to the areas of greatest need – we’ve taken a proactive approach to road asset renewal which will benefit rural and urban residents and visitors to the region.”
The City of Busselton has over 80km of narrow single lane sealed roads, which are the legacy of a programme of funded works undertaken in the 1960s.
Most of these rural roads were sealed to a width of 3.6m, which while once adequate, no longer meet current needs. Around 36km of narrow sealed roads have been identified by the City’s Asset Management Team for priority upgrade.
This year Puzey Road, which is a major rural artery, benefited from a $1.7million upgrade, which saw it widened and resurfaced.
To further fast-track works, the City also reduced the level of associated vegetation clearing, without compromising driver safety.
It is anticipated that this new approach will return cost and efficiency savings of up to $100,000 per kilometre and just as importantly, reduced clearing will enable the City to preserve the rural ambience of these rural roads which wind through some of the State’s most picturesque countryside and are an important habitat for native fauna.
The Mayor said this targeted approach would increase efficiency and prove an important investment into the future.
“Council’s decision to allocate sixty percent of the City’s road funding allocation into these roads will enable upgrades to be completed within a far shorter timeframe.
“As the community grows and projects like the Busselton Margaret River Regional Airport expansion bring more people into the region, these roads will become increasingly essential linkages. It’s critical that we invest in their renewal now.”
While upgrades to high-use rural roads will be fast-tracked, the City will continue to maintain urban roads and other less frequently used rural roads.
