Council assessing road and infrastructure damage
Published on 10 October 2022
The weekend’s unprecedented weather event has caused significant damage to Council infrastructure, particularly to roads.
Council teams have worked throughout the weekend assessing and closing flooded and flood damaged roads to keep our community safe.
Assessments are ongoing to reopen roads, however significant damage and debris remains and may take time to clear.
Mayor Des Kennedy is calling for residents to be patient and follow signage and traffic control directions.
“I understand people need to move through the region, and there are still a number of roads closed, however safety of our staff and community is first and foremost and these assessments need to be undertaken,” Cr Kennedy said.
“We’ve copped a lot of rain and runoff since Friday, to already soaked land, and this has obviously had major impacts to infrastructure and complete road failures in areas.
“It is extremely disheartening to hear that people are not following signage or traffic control and are driving through work sites well in excess of the advised limit in the immediate vicinity of Council staff who are doing their best to undertake road repairs.
“Not only are you damaging the road surface further by doing this, you are endangering staff who have been working through the weekend.”
Whilst Council teams are working hard to undertake assessments, there are more than 2,460km of roads within the Local Government Area. If you see a roads problem please report it to Council immediately via the website, where you’ll find a link on the home page or by calling 6378 2850. Posting to community Facebook pages is not a reporting method and is not captured by Council.
As at 11am today (Monday 10 October) Mudgee and areas within the Cudgegong River and Windamere Dam catchment remain on Watch and Act, declared by the NSW State Emergency Service.
Windamere Dam is spilling into the Cudgegong River for the first time in three decades. As a result, flash flooding is a risk in downstream communities, as the water spilling form Windamere Dam is not controlled by flood gates. The NSW SES are asking residents and travellers in the region and surrounds to be prepared for changing road conditions, including flooded creek crossings and causeways. This event may change quickly.
The next update by the SES will be made at 2pm today (Monday 10 October) at hazardwatch.com.au
Updates on roads are available on Council’s website and Facebook page.