The NSW Government has fast-tracked $155 million for a regional pothole and road repair blitz, bringing total road maintenance funding in the regions to $1.25 billion for this financial year.
This investment will deliver safer roads, from Broken Hill to Bega, ensuring that regional communities get their fair share of road maintenance investment.
The $155 million has been brought forward to 2025-26 to prioritise renewal projects, including key corridors that have been under significant pressure due to unprecedented weather. Projects include:
- Pavement renewal and resurfacing on major highways such as the New England Highway and Hume Highway
- Key bridge maintenance and renewal works across regional NSW
- Continued slope restorations across a number of east-west corridors such as Waterfall Way, Oxley Highway, and Victoria Pass
Maintenance crews have clocked nearly four million hours of work in the past 12 months undertaking work including:
- Trimming 53,000 trees for improved safety
- Repairing 35,000 guideposts
- Refreshing more than 280,000 kilometres of line markings
Some 150 new permanent staff members have been hired, taking Transport for NSW’s locally-based regional maintenance team to more than 2,000 workers. Another 75 regionally-based apprentices and trainees will start in 2026.
The NSW Government continues investing in regional road infrastructure to build a stronger, more resilient network for NSW communities. This builds on reforms to:
- Put road repair funding in the hands of councils sooner by providing upfront grants – rather than forcing councils to fund the work and then reimburse them. More than one third of regional NSW Councils have already signed up to get funding faster.
- Streamline road recategorisation so councils can apply to transfer roads to state funding responsibility.
- Provide transparent open data on the road network by publishing AusRAP data which gives a condition report for state and regional roads, making NSW the first jurisdiction to do so.
Premier of New South Wales, Chris Minns, said that regional and rural communities deserve their fair share of investment and upgrades to local roads.
“This announcement is about getting money out the door and boots on the ground sooner rather than later.
“Following droughts, bushfires and floods we are hearing loud and clear that there needs to be more done to repair damaged roads and keep communities connected in the wake of natural disasters.
“We’ve made a start, but we know there’s still more to do and that’s what this accelerated funding will help deliver.”
NSW Minister for Roads and Minister for Regional Transport, Jenny Aitchison, said that the people and businesses of NSW rely on the road network, and that she is incredibly proud of the road warriors at Transport for NSW.
“Long after storms or bushfires pass, recovery continues for our teams. Whether plugging potholes or undertaking massive multi-year infrastructure rebuilds, the work never ends,” Minister Aitchison said.
“I want to thank all our frontline road recovery and maintenance crews. Their nearly four million hours of work is an investment in the future of NSW to ensure a safe, strong and reliable network for motorists, commuters and freight operators.”
NSW Minister for Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty, said, “Most of the road crews are locals making a critical difference to ensure reliable, safe roads for anyone living, working or travelling in regional NSW.”
NSW Country Mayors Association Chair, Cr Rick Firman, thanked Minister Aitchison for this significant further investment in regional, remote and rural communities.
“Obviously our local citizens will be the ultimate beneficiaries of our government’s decision to prioritise the road network in the bush, which is effectively our lifeblood.”
