Funds sought to finish road ...

Gosford Council's director of works, Stephen Glen, has admitted that work started on the Woy Woy Rd realignment without knowing the total cost.

"We didn't know what the total cost of the construction would be when we started, but it will probably be $1 million in total," he told the April 4 council meeting.

The council has now decided to approach both the Federal and State Governments to seek more funding to complete the Woy Woy Rd works.

Mr Glen said the council had received $500,000 for the project from the Federal Government as part of the Black Spot program.

"We started straight away because the Black Spot funding was given under the condition that work commence immediately."

Cr Lynne Bockholt said the road was one of the worst on the Central Coast.

"It's a death-trap," she said.

"Remember, the Peninsula is getting 70 per cent of planned medium density housing but no infrastructure.

"The stress and strain on people commuting is horrendous.

"Not finishing the work is disgusting." Mr Glen said work could start in as little as four weeks once he was given the go-ahead.

Cr Bockholt said she did not expect any funding to be forthcoming.

"Last night I watched palm trees going to the Olympic site," she said.

"That's where all the money is going at the moment."

Council officers have estimated that a further $550,000 must be found to complete the project.

They said possible Federal Government funding included the Black Spot program.

As the program has a maximum of $500,000 for anyone project, no further money would be given to the Woy Woy Rd works under that program.

The Federal Government also provided councils with funds for roads from its Federal Local Roads program, but Council had already allocated those funds to other projects.

At the State level, funding was available through an annual block grant from the Roads and Traffic Authority.

Mr Glen said the council received $1.36 million in the last financial year.

"This was for the maintenance of the 170.5 kilometres of regional roads within Gosford City, an amount barely able to cover the cost of repairing areas of major road failure," he said.

"The allocation of any part of these funds to what is essentially a capital upgrading project cannot be supported." Another form of State funding was a special grant.

"Council has never secured such a grant and this must be regarded as an unlikely funding source," said Mr Glen.

"However, it is considered worthy of continued pursuit."

The council was told that all State Govemment funding had to be matched dollar-for-dollar by the council.

Carl Spears, April 5