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Rocky road ahead

15/05/2008 2:38:00 PM
MOTORISTS in the southeast of the shire are endangering their lives on a daily basis on a road where the surface has been washed away to reveal sharp protruding rocks Cooma-Monaro councillors were told this week.

Landholders say the Kybeyan Road, east of Nimmitabel, along with The Avenue, off the Kybeyan Road, has deteriorated to rocks and clay in certain parts.

Kybeyan grazier, Tom Webster of Ederveen, said the roads were in a dangerous state and could be impassable by winter when he addressed council at its monthly meeting at Nimmitabel on Monday evening.

"The Kybeyan Road is the worst I have seen in eight years, with rock ledges currently exposed making it very difficult for a 2WD to pass without damaging the vehicle," Mr Webster said.

"I got an impression from council that they've taken us on board for next year's budget, but work needs to be done before July, because when winter hits we will receive fairly constant snow and the road will become impassable, which is what we're all concerned about," he said.

The road condition heavily deteriorated heavy snow and rain fall last year, so that combined with a lack of council maintenance and a steady flow of traffic from jinker trunks, last led to the road's current state.

"My main safety concern actually is the Kydra Bridge, where there have been six major accidents in last 12 months, with two in the last month alone.

"There is a long straight on both sides leading to the bridge and an unexpected 90-degree turn before the bridge. I'm just waiting for someone to get killed there," he said.

The jinker trucks have caused significant damage to the Kybeyan Road, however the logging industry contributes no funding to repair the damage making maintenance more difficult, council's director of engineering services David Byrne said.

"We'll be doing work as soon as we can, but we're waiting to find out from the NSW forestry how long it will be until they finish logging and tie in the improvements for then," Mr Byrne said.

Mr Byrne confirmed there was nothing in council's five-year plan to improve Kydra Bridge and that its ability to maintain unsealed roads greatly depended on Road to Recovery funding, which is due to expire in 2010.

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Kybeyan grazier, Tom Webster, is concerned the concern about the dangerous condition of roads east of Nimmitabel.
Kybeyan grazier, Tom Webster, is concerned the concern about the dangerous condition of roads east of Nimmitabel.

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