THE $5 million price tag on improvements of the Riverina Highway near Lake Hume has been confirmed by the NSW government.
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But an announcement on when the works will happen has been pushed back until October.
NSW Roads and Freight Minister Duncan Gay’s office this week confirmed the value of the project.
“Roads and Maritime Services is putting together a schedule of works for a funding package of $5 million for the upgrades,” a spokesperson said.
“The schedule will be complete by the end of October.”
Member for Albury Greg Aplin has cautiously welcomed the advice from the minister’s office.
“It is what we have been working towards,” Mr Aplin said.
“I can’t say how long it will take, but it will be in the schedule.
“I don’t want to pre-empt anything.”
A feasibility study on the works by Roads and Maritime Services was to be completed by yesterday and then presented to the minister’s office.
Premier Mike Baird flagged the works would happen on his recent visit to Albury.
Albury mayor Kevin Mack said it was a “positive step”.
“We are still waiting for a formal response and what that looks like in terms of the job getting done,” he said.
“It is still a wait and see discussion.
“The Premier is on record as suggesting it will be done and we will wait and see what that outcome looks like.
“I hope for the community we have some success because it is a state issue and a state road.”
Former Labor Party candidate and Albury councillor Darren Cameron said it wasn’t clear whether the $5 million was new money.
“The Premier made an announcement in Albury that appeared to be an additional $5 million above that in the budget,” he said.
“Mr Aplin needs to clarify whether this is new funding.
“This could very well be a repeat of the embarrassing situation in last year’s budget where $3 million was announced for the state office block, but written off as a ‘mistake’.
“Surely it’s not too much to ask that Mr Aplin identifies where this money is coming from.”