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CRACKED ROADS

RTA carpeted over poor state of roads

Date: August 17 2006

Jordan Baker

SYDNEY's roads are the worst of any city in Australia and are at risk of becoming unsafe because the Roads and Traffic Authority has failed to spend enough on maintenance, a report has found.

The report by the Auditor-General, Bob Sendt, said the surface quality of state-run roads had deteriorated in the past decade, with 15 per cent now classified as very rough or cracked.

A sixth of the state's 20,738-kilometre road network had reached its expected life span of 40 years but would probably need to last for at least another 40 years at the authority's present rebuilding rate, he found.

Surface quality in Sydney was worse than in other capital cities and in the country because the authority was rebuilding at less than half its long-term target.

The target had not been met for 10 years and yet the authority was spending record amounts of money building new roads, Mr Sendt said.

"We've identified and seen maintenance as a problem in many areas of government," he said, "[but] I was personally surprised that the RTA is only spending half its targeted amount on road rebuilding."

His report said the surface quality on country roads had improved and there were no longer any structurally deficient bridges.

However, it found the structural and surface condition of roads in Sydney was deteriorating, putting them at risk of becoming unsafe, as well as leading to higher repair costs.

David Brown, of the Australian Institute of Traffic Planning and Management, said Victoria, Canterbury and Parramatta roads were in poor condition, as was Anzac Parade beyond Kensington.

"Poor structural quality is going to cost you in the long term," he said. "While you might be able to put a nice sheet of tar over the top, if you've got poor structural quality it will deteriorate very quickly."

Mr Sendt said the authority had not come up with a way to address the problem.

Asked if motorists might take legal action over the poor condition of the state's roads, Mr Sendt replied: "Certainly, if the condition of the roads deteriorates beyond a certain level … I guess that could open the way for legal redress."

The Roads Minister, Eric Roozendaal, has asked the chief executive of the Roads and Traffic Authority, Les Wielinga, to look at refocusing the authority's attention on maintenance.

"We need to find a balance between the tension of rebuilding the road network and at the same time building new roads. I think that's the challenge we have," Mr Roozendaal said.

Mr Wielinga said the authority was committed to having safe roads.

"We've also had a record investment in building new roads. We don't apologise for that."

The Opposition spokesman on roads, Andrew Stoner, said: "NSW deserves higher standards, better services and balanced budgets."

SMH http://www.smh.com.au/text/articles/2006/08/16/1155407883838.html accessed Aug 17 2006

And as we all know Treasurey or its siblings have no business in Water... or Roads... or Vital Infrastructure... or Defence... or Communications... or Finance... or, or, or...

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