A GREAT Lakes road was named as one of the worst in the state the same week as the council was granted $4.5million to upgrade roads across the local government area (LGA).
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Two kilometres of Bucketts Way at Allworth was voted in at number seven on the NRMA’s top 10 worst roads list this year.
The Pacific Highway at Coffs Harbour took out the top honours.
Feedback by motorists on the NRMA’s website said the stretch of road at Allworth had ‘‘narrow lanes’’, ‘‘poor road surface’’, ‘‘pot holes’’ and that the surface was rough and had received ‘‘little maintenance’’.
‘‘It is no surprise that this section of road has received such a poor rating because council’s asset management system has identified it as one of the worst sections of road in Great Lakes,’’ the council’s director of engineering, Ron Hartley, said.
The section of Bucketts Way that had motorists seeing red was a priority, but was not covered by the $4.5million Roads to Recovery federal funding.
‘‘We have lobbied for grant funding specific to the Bucketts Way under the Hunter Infrastructure Investment Fund on two occasions,’’ Mr Hartley said.
‘‘The first submission was unsuccessful, however we are hopeful that we can secure some funds in the second round.’’
He said work on repairing the stretch of road would not begin until 2016-17 unless additional funds could be found.
While Bucketts Way would not be covered by the federal funding, announced by Paterson MP Bob Baldwin last week, a number of rural and urban roads across the LGA would be upgraded.
‘‘The funding equates to roughly $750,000 per annum for the next five years and will be allocated to council’s urban and rural road construction program,’’ Mr Hartley said.
The rural roads to benefit from the funds will include Wattley Hill Road, Wootton; Bombah Point Road, Bulahdelah; The Branch Lane, The Branch; and Willina Road, Coolongolook.
Urban roads to be upgraded will include Hinton Street, Stroud; Cowper Street, Nabiac; Central Avenue, Bundabah; Church Street, Carrington; and Cook Street, Pindimar.
Additionally, Wye Street, Stroud; The Esplanade, North Arm Cove; Cove Avenue, Bundabah; Wharf Street, Nabiac; Warri Street, Pindimar; Second Avenue, Bundabah; Peace Parade, Pindimar; Prince and Jackson streets, Bulahdelah will receive attention.
