Port Stephens Council has launched a community petition urging the NSW Government to urgently fund critical repairs to Medowie Road and Lemon Tree Passage Road.
The petition follows an Urgency Motion from Central Ward Councillor Chris Doohan, who highlighted the clear limitations of local government in funding the significant upgrades these roads require.
Mayor Leah Anderson said both Council and the community need State and Federal support to deliver more than just temporary repairs.
"Medowie Road and Lemon Tree Passage Road are showing the impacts of both increasing traffic and ongoing weather events," Mayor Anderson said.
"We have sections now heavily damaged, and Council funding can only support temporary pothole patching and surface repairs, not the long term reconstruction these roads urgently need."
Councillor Chris Doohan said the petition was an important way for residents and businesses to show how vital these roads are.
"Medowie Road and Lemon Tree Passage Road are critical links for residents, workers and visitors, yet they're in a state of disrepair," Cr Doohan said.
"Population growth has meant more cars, more heavy vehicles and more wear on these roads, but Council simply doesn't have the resources to carry out the major upgrades needed.
"These roads need to be urgently reclassified from regional roads to State roads to ensure they receive the appropriate funding, ongoing maintenance and safety improvements our community deserves.
"If we reach 20,000 signatures, the petition will be debated in the NSW Parliament. We need our community to get behind this petition and show their support," Cr Doohan added.
Councillor Ben Niland acknowledged that reaching this target will be challenging and emphasised the importance of community support.
"We're asking our community to sign the petition and share it with family and friends. The more people get involved, the closer we come to achieving the numbers needed to make this initiative impactful and beneficial for everyone," Cr Niland said
The petition is now live. Residents and businesses can sign the petition online via Council's website, Council's Facebook page, or at one of Council's libraries, the Visitor Information Centre or the Administration Building.
