It’s been a wreck for three years – residents and users of Naughtons Gap Road have been waiting a long time for the road to be repaired.
Richmond Valley Council general manager Vaughan Macdonald said it has been frustrating.
“We’re looking forward to having the road back open by Christmas,” Mr Macdonald said.
The road has been closed since March 2021 when there was a landslip. There was another landslip during the 2022 floods.
Construction by CMC begins on the $15.8million Naughtons Gap Road Resilience project at Naughton’s Gap, northeast of Casino.
More than $3million of the total Naughtons Gap project cost will go towards betterment works, making the road more resilient into the future.
These betterment works include catch fencing to contain future falling debris and absorb its impact, and drainage improvements made on the northern end of the project, to prevent further long road closures during future severe weather events.
The project will also involve essential repair works to reconstruct the roadway across three landslip zones.
The betterment works are funded by the state and federal governments through the Regional Roads Transport and Recovery Package.
NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery Janelle Saffin said the betterment policy meant roads are built back better and can withstand disasters.
“It never made any sense to build back or repair a road or bridge as it had been instead of making it as durable as it possibly could be,” Ms Saffin said.
Richmond Valley mayor Robert Mustow said the Naughtons Gap Road is a vital transport link for the Richmond Valley and is the second main route to Lismore from Casino.
“The work involves installing more than 120 bored piers into the rockface at depths of up to eight metres to reinforce the roadway following significant flood damage,” Mr Mustow said.
The project is due to be completed in late 2024.
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