The Australian and New South Wales governments have announced $33 million in funding for a program that aims to identify more than 100 infrastructure improvements to boost the resilience of the flood evacuation network in Western Sydney.
The project, which is being jointly funded on a 50:50 basis, will provide a plan of works to improve flood evacuation throughout the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley. These improvements will include road widening, new culvert and bridge structures, road raising, pinch point upgrades and drainage improvements.
NSW Minister for Metropolitan Roads, Natalie Ward said that, following the release of the NSW Government’s Resilient Valley, Resilient Communities: Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley Flood Risk Management Strategy in 2017, Transport for NSW had identified a need for road infrastructure improvements across four Western Sydney local government areas.
“The NSW Government is working together with local councils and communities to manage risk and build flood resilience in this key area of Western Sydney,” Ward said.
“This will help ensure that both local issues and the broader strategy are considered to achieve best outcomes.”
The Hawkesbury Nepean Flood Strategy is a comprehensive plan to manage the risk posed by floods, and road upgrades to make them more flood resilient and to help enable evacuations in the event of a serious flood.
Federal Member for Lindsay, Melissa McIntosh is advocating for funding to be administered as quickly as possible.
“During the March 2021 floods, Llandilo, Castlereagh, Londonderry, Agnes Banks were severely impacted by these damaging and dangerous floods,” McIntosh said.
“I look forward to this rolling out as quickly as possible and to see the installation of drainage and road upgrades to ensure our community is kept as safe as possible during floods.”
Transport for NSW will work with local councils in the valley to deliver the improvements, which have been identified across state, local and regional roads.
The majority of projects will be undertaken in Penrith local government area, with others in the Hawkesbury, Blacktown and The Hills.
For more information on the flood strategy, click here.
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