Richmond Hill Rd upgrade reflects commitment to safety

Lismore City Council’s road crews are currently engaged in the reconstruction of a 560-metre segment of road between Roy Place and Laihaina Crescent. This project is part of the Council’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the safety and quality of Lismore’s local road network.

The Richmond Hill Road upgrade, which began in September 2023, has already seen the successful reconstruction of a 1.8km section, significantly improving both safety and the longevity of the roadway.

Mayor Steve Krieg announced that the final phase of the Richmond Hill Road reconstruction will extend from the current endpoint to approximately 300 metres beyond the Laihaina Crescent intersection.

“This phase is in its final planning stages and is expected to employ the same methodologies and treatments as previous stages. Upon completion, the total length of reconstructed road will reach 2.7km,” Mayor Krieg stated.

In early June, work commenced on removing the old road surface over the 560-metre stretch. This was followed by in-situ stabilisation of the lower sub-base pavement layer, which involves incorporating a binder to enhance the performance characteristics of the sub-base, allowing for the reuse of existing materials in the new pavement design.

The stabilisation process uses a large reclaimer machine to mix the existing pavement material with the binder to the required depth. This mixture is then compacted and shaped to achieve the necessary geometry. A new base layer is subsequently laid and compacted to the finished surface height.

Additionally, the project includes adjustments to adjoining driveways, which may involve replacing pipe crossings and installing grates or concrete dish drains for improved stormwater management.

Mayor Krieg emphasised that the Richmond Hill Road reconstruction aims to enhance the road’s structural integrity, geometry, stormwater infrastructure, and overall ride quality. He acknowledged the challenges faced by regional councils in maintaining local road networks.

“Lismore City Council is responsible for 1215km of sealed and unsealed roads within our LGA. The extensive investment needed for such reconstructions and repairs would be unattainable without the continued funding support from our State and Federal partners,” he said.

The Richmond Hill Road project is jointly funded by the State Government’s Regional and Local Roads Repair Program and Fixing Local Roads Program, along with Lismore City Council.

For updates on the Richmond Hill Road upgrade, visit Council’s Your Say page at Lismore Your Say.

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Terania Street Reopening to Light Vehicles Only

After a closure lasting over four months, Terania Street in Lismore is set to reopen to light vehicles starting from late Friday 21 June, pending favourable weather conditions. This reopening follows the implementation of traffic calming measures aimed at preventing further damage to the rail-over-road bridge caused by oversized vehicles.

• Traffic Calming Measures:
  • New measures include speed humps, a reduced speed limit of 25 km/h, restricted lane width, traffic islands, and surveillance cameras. These are designed specifically to slow down light vehicles and restrict heavy vehicles (over 4.5 tonnes) from using Terania Street near the rail bridge.
• Purpose of Measures:
  • The installation aims to prevent future damage to the bridge, which necessitated its closure between Tweed and Peate streets since February 7.
• Community Impact and Appreciation:
  • Transport for NSW, through Director Region North Anna Zycki, expressed gratitude to residents and businesses for their patience during the closure period. They continue to work towards a permanent solution for the bridge’s sustainability.
• Heavy Vehicle Detour:
  • Heavy vehicles are advised to use a detour via Wilson Street, Elliott Road, and Ballina Road until further notice. Residents needing access to or from Peate Street should detour via Pine, Crane, and Tweed streets.
• Heritage Council Approval:
  • Transport for NSW has received approval from the NSW Heritage Council to remove the Terania Street rail-over-road bridge. They are currently addressing the consent conditions and will inform the community about the commencement of this work.
• Compliance and Safety:
  • New signage, including ‘No right turn’ signs at Peate Street, has been installed to guide vehicles and ensure compliance with the new traffic conditions.

For ongoing updates and details, residents and road users are encouraged to stay informed through Transport for NSW communications channels.

This reopening marks a significant step in restoring normal traffic flow while safeguarding the historic bridge structure from further damage caused by inappropriate vehicle use.

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No early education care places in ‘childcare desert’

By Samantha Elley

Rachael Lane and Jaclyn Pilbeam are two young mums who are finding it difficult to navigate the lack of childcare spaces in the Lismore area.

Because she was unable to find childcare for her two-year-old daughter, Sophie, Rachael does shiftwork at night, packing shelves, then takes over at home so her husband can go to work during the day.

Jaclyn was luckier in that she was able to find a place for her 13-month-old daughter, Evie,  but she had to take extreme action.

“We had our daughter Evie on a daycare (list) before she was even born,” she said.

“She is still on waiting lists, as Evie goes to daycare that is 20-30 minutes from our house.

“It’s not ideal for our family. I need to go to work. I’d love to stay at home with my children but it’s just not an option for me.”

Ms Pilbeam said the cost of living meant she had to work, but not only that, her time at work helped her as well.

“I am a better mum when I work,” she said.

“I am quite happy to send my child to daycare, although it’s not my first option. It works for me and it works for my family.

“We need those options available in our area for mums like me.”

Ms Pilbeam said that the waiting lists in Lismore for childcare is on average 200 young ones.

Isabel McLennan of The Learning Cottage in Lismore and Wollongbar confirmed the numbers.

“I’ve got 300 families on both waiting lists,” she said.

“That’s 600 children that we can’t supply places for.”

Another issue, especially since the 2022 flood, is the need for quality early childhood educators, according to Mitch Hutchinson of Kyogle Early Learning.

“To fill those spots with quality educators is also a big issue in this area,” he said.

“To attract and retain high quality early childhood teachers in the area where there’s zero rentals (and) high cost of living area is really hard for the award wages they get paid.”

The opposition is calling for the government to address the crisis for young families.

“This is a big problem across our country,” said Angie Bell, Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education.

“We are looking at more flexibility and choice for regional families that currently do not have access to early learning.”

Minister Bell said the issue seemed more acute in Lismore, due to the flood crisis, but it was an issue across the country.

“There are 9 million Australians who live in a childcare desert and what that means is there are three children waiting for every place available.”

Minister Bell said the Labor government needed to step up and deliver more for regional families.

“They spent $4.7 billion on their Cheaper Childcare Bill and all they’ve delivered is zero places for regional Australians,” she said.

“Fees have gone up by 7% in less than six months and so families are paying more, which means they have to work longer hours.”

And while Minister Bell was unable to reveal the childcare policy of the Coalition, more would be revealed closer to the next election.

“What we want to see is flexibility and choice for families,” she said.

A new report from the Centre for Policy Development was released last week and it recommended bold reforms to ensure universal early education and care for all children.

Ten key reforms were suggested in the Growing Together: A future universal early childhood education and care system for Australia report.

These included  ensuring all children had access to a minimum of three days of early childhood education and care a week at low or no cost.

“Three days is perfect,” said Jaclyn.

“It feels like a happy medium. I feel like I can give more to my children.

“It’s good socialisation for the kids and you’ve still got four days with your children at zero dollar rate.”

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