Northern Rivers Local News

Roads – what we do and how we do it

Published

2 years ago

16 December 2021

JeffG

Council is working hard to build, upgrade and maintain a safe and connected local road network.

Roads – what we do and how we do it

How Council builds, upgrades and maintains a safe and connected local road network
A new campaign aimed at providing easier access to information on the Tweed’s road network, including roadworks and alerts during severe weather events, is being launched by Council today.
The campaign responds to feedback from residents, such as through community surveys, where roads ranked as one of the highest priority services that Council provides.
Council is generally responsible for public roads in the Tweed except the Pacific Motorway and Gold Coast Highway, which are the responsibility of Transport for New South Wales.
Acting Director of Engineering Danny Rose said Council looks after more than 1000 km of sealed roads and about 170 km of unsealed gravel roads.
“With an asset value of $750 million, looking after all of our local roads and bridges and prioritising where to spend our road maintenance money is a complicated task,” Mr Rose said.
“We set aside about $15 million per year on renewing and maintaining our road networks, equating to approximately 10% of Council’s annual General Fund budget. This money comes from general rates and grant assistance from government.
“Another $7.5 million is spent on the upkeep of roadside vegetation, signage and line-marking, roadside drainage, footpaths and bridges.
“Road safety grants such as Black Spot funding are additional and can also account for several million dollars per year, depending on the projects involved.”
The provision of roads, including works such as upgrades and maintenance and improving road safety, is consistently one of the most important services as ranked by the Tweed community in Council’s Be Our Best Resident Survey. It is also an area where our communit said they would like to receive more information. The biannual survey highlights community perceptions of Council’s overall performance of its services and facilities.
The new campaign has been created in direct response to this community feedback and includes a new roads webpage aimed at providing a one-stop shop to road information in the Tweed Shire.
“The survey results showed us very few residents were aware of our road delivery program and the community is generally unaware of when and how roads will be fixed and maintained,” Mr Rose said.
“From this week we will start proactive communications to educate the community about our roads program.
“At the heart of this initiative is informing our community how hard we are working to build, upgrade and maintain a safe and connected local road network. To do this, we’re:

building and upgrading local roads for our growing population
maintaining around 1200 km of local and regional roads
responding to traffic hazards caused by weather events
supporting the community to stay safe on our roads.

“With a wetter than average storm season upon us, the continuous rain is likely to over-saturate the road pavements which will result in an increased number of potholes and other hazards across the road network.
“I can assure residents our dedicated crews work hard to keep our roads open and safe throughout the year. We are out there in all conditions, including severe weather and make our repairs as soon as we can once it clears.
“Please report road problems online and don’t use our social media channels to report them.”
For urgent safety issues, call Council 24/7 on 02 6670 2400, with an on-call crew permanently on standby to address emergencies reported after hours.
To stay up to date with road hazards and closures, visit the Tweed Emergency dashboard at emergency.tweed.nsw.gov.au
For more information visit tweed.nsw.gov.au/roads.

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Celebrating Our 200th Edition: The Northern Rivers Times Newspaper Hits the Stands!

Published

13 hours ago

7 May 2024

JeffG

Celebrating Our 200th Edition: The Northern Rivers Times Hits the Stands!

The Northern Rivers Times is thrilled to announce the release of our landmark 200th edition, now available for just $2 at leading newsagents, Woolworths stores, and service stations from Coffs Harbour to Coolangatta, Local Development Updates.

Casino Beef Week 2024 24 page lift out

This week’s special edition is packed with essential updates and engaging stories from the Northern Rivers region:
• In-Depth Coverage: 24-page special on Casino Beef Week.
• Local Sports: Highlights from the GRAFTON REDMEN.
• Council Decisions: Update on Brooms conflict consultant proposal.
• Community Support: Expanded services for women facing domestic violence.
• Local Developments: Progress on the Grafton Pool project, coming in under budget.
• Public Participation: Kyogle’s invitation for feedback on the Private Native Forestry Plan.
• Community Leaders: New board member at Evans Head club.
• Personal Stories: A Ballina truck driver’s journey into storytelling.
• Healthcare News: Countdown to the Tweed Valley Hospital opening.
• Historical Mysteries: Discoveries from Grafton High’s mummy.
• Veteran Support: Holistic approaches to treating PTSD.
• Educational Investments: $500,000 upgrade at TAFE NSW Ballina enhances nursing training.
With a variety of other captivating articles, our 200th edition offers a rich mosaic of news that keeps you connected to the vibrant life across our communities. Don’t miss out—pick up your copy today and stay informed about everything happening in the Northern Rivers region!

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Health News

Tweed Valley Hospital opens in five days

Published

14 hours ago

7 May 2024

Liam

Last month the community had the chance to look through Tweed Valley Hospital before it officially opens to patients on Tuesday

Tweed Valley Hospital opens in five days

By Sarah Waters

The new Tweed Valley Hospital at 771 Cudgen Road, Cudgen will open to patients at 8am next Tuesday, May 14.

On the same day the Tweed Valley Hospital opens to patients, The Tweed Hospital at Powell Street, Tweed Heads, will close.

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Anyone requiring emergency medical care from next Tuesday onwards should present to Tweed Valley Hospital.

All inpatients at The Tweed Hospital will be transferred to the new hospital.

This process is expected to take a full day, and is being coordinated in partnership with NSW Ambulance, NSW Police, Transport for NSW and Tweed Shire Council.

Hospital staff will liaise directly with affected patients and their families or carers.

A community health service providing a range of clinics and community outreach services, as well as the existing BreastScreen NSW service, will continue to be delivered at the Powell Street site in Tweed Heads.

However, there will be no emergency services or hospital inpatient services available at this location after Tuesday 14 May 2024.

Tweed Valley Hospital is located close to the M1 motorway and adjacent to Tweed Coast Road.