Road reserve information

Sealed roads

Most urban roads in the Eurobodalla have a bitumen seal providing a durable, low maintenance driving surface.

Bitumen roads generally need resealing every 12 to 15 years. We are proactive with resealing and follow an annual program. This process minimises rehabilitation works and extends the life of our road network.

• View the road resealing program

When we build a new road we apply a primer seal and allow the sub-base to settle and show any deficiencies. We return to apply a final seal 6 to 12 months down the track.

Asphalt seals offer a much smoother and stronger road surface than bitumen but are more expensive. We reserve the use of asphalt for high traffic areas such as Beach Road, and at intersections where turning vehicles place stress on the road.

Unsealed Roads

We maintain approximately 404km of dirt or gravel roads across the Eurobodalla Shire. We like to keep them at a reasonable standard by grading the majority at least once a year.

We have a schedule that provides a guide for the extent of works and expected dates grading will begin (weather permitting).

• View the grading schedule

Potholes

Heavy rain tends to wreak havoc on our roads and potholes seem to appear out of nowhere. Our maintenance crews are always on the lookout. We undertake temporary repairs before we can arrange longer-term solutions.

We give priority to our busiest roads like George Bass Drive and Beach Road.

If you notice a pothole on a Council road, you can report it online:

• Report a pothole or other hazard on a Council road

Potholes on the Princes Highway are the responsibility of Transport for NSW and can be reported online:

• Report a pothole on the Princes Highway

Kerb and gutter is the concrete structure on the road edge designed to collect water and drain it away from the road. It can also help improve community safety, aesthetic appeal, and property values.

Many urban streets in the Eurobodalla were built in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, without any formal road edge. It is part of Council’s long-term asset management strategy to provide kerb and gutter in many of these streets on a priority basis.

To help determine locations to install kerb and gutter we consider:

• if the road is sealed
• traffic volumes
• development in the street
• any drainage issues
• road condition
• road safety
• the environment
• maintenance costs

When we install kerb and gutter we may seek a financial contribution from property owners of adjoining land in line with the NSW Roads Act 1993.

• The Act permits Council to recover half the cost of providing the infrastructure from property owners.
• When we schedule installation, we will notify affected property owners and provided an estimated cost.

More information

• Kerb and Gutter Construction – Contribution by Property Owners policy (189.0 KB)
• Section 217 of the NSW Roads Act 1993

A driveway crossover is the part of a driveway that provides a link from a road to a property. They are the responsibility of the owner of the property and are built and maintained at the landowner’s expense. Driveway crossovers are on public land so landowners need to keep them in a safe condition.

With Council approval, landowners can build a driveway on a road reserve to access their property. The NSW Roads Act 1993 requires the road authority to approve all activities to be undertaken within the road reserve before work begins.

It is the landowner’s responsibility to ensure:

• any work done on a driveway crossover complies with Council standards
• all contractors are aware of the requirements
• all contractors are appropriately insured and licensed.

To apply for approval to build a driveway crossover, use the NSW Planing Portal to lodge a Section 138 application.

• Checklist for lodgement of a Section 138 approval (223.3 KB)
• NSW Planning Portal
• Contact our duty officers for help with the application by phoning 4474 1231

Nature strips are an important aesthetic element of our neighbourhoods. We appreciate the community spirit and pride displayed by residents who tend their own patch.

We concentrate Council resources on maintaining grassed areas in business districts, parks and reserves. Financial constraints limit our ability to provide the same service in residential areas.

Well-maintained nature strip plantings can enhance the aesthetic and environmental quality of the neighbourhood.

Our Environmental Services team is running a verge garden pilot program. The program will help create guidelines for people wanting to create a garden on their nature strip in the future.

If you want to grow plants in the nature strip, it is important that one of our officers meets you on-site prior to any planting. Our officers will assess the location and discuss:

• appropriate plant quantities
• using native plants that suit the local environment
• leaving a clear path for pedestrians and access to parked vehicles
• maintaining driver sightlines (particularly near corners and driveways)
• any nearby powerlines
• water and sewer pipe locations
• visiting Before You Dig to check for other infrastructure in the area
• avoiding large trees and plants with aggressive root systems that can affect any belowground infrastructure
• avoiding plants with prickles, thorns, spikes or aboveground roots
• avoiding structures such as garden beds or any other potential trip hazards.

To arrange an on-site visit with one of our officers to assess the location and suitability of plants, phone us on 4474 7366.

Trees that line our streets have an intrinsic value for our community. We manage the preservation of these trees in line with Council’s Tree Preservation Code of Practice.

• Tree Preservation Code of Practice (1.3 MB)

The code aims to:

• protect and enhance street trees
• instruct the removal or pruning of dangerous or inappropriate trees
• instruct the removal or pruning of vegetation for maintenance of existing infrastructure
• minimise impacts to vegetation with high environmental value (eg threatened ecological communities, or threatened species' habitats).

The risk management of trees on public land is often difficult. It requires a balance between:

• managing the risks to the community’s safety and infrastructure
• acknowledging the benefit of trees to the community's social, environmental, economic, and cultural wellbeing
• limiting Council’s potential liability.

We manage all requests to assess trees in road reserves in line with our Tree Risk Management on Council Controlled Land Code of Practice.

• Tree Risk Management on Council Controlled Land Code of Practice (675.7 KB)

The Code includes a guide to assess a tree's risk.

• We will undertake appropriate action to address trees assessed as high-risk.
• For trees rated as a moderate risk, residents will have the option to engage an approved contractor to undertake tree works.
• Trees found to be low risk will be retained as part of the landscape in most instances.

Removing trees for Council works

Sometimes we need to remove roadside trees to safely maintain an area or construct new assets. We manage such work in line with our Vegetation Clearing – Roadsides and Infrastructure Lines Policy.

• Vegetation Clearing – Roadsides and Infrastructure Lines Policy (233.0 KB)

The policy aligns with the NSW Roads Act 1993 (Section 88). This allows Council to remove overhanging vegetation to carry out roadwork or remove a traffic hazard.

If we need to undertake any major clearing works we will prepare a Review of Environmental Factors in line with NSW requirements. The review will determine if any measures are required to lessen impacts of the clearing.

Council maintains a network of more than 135km of pathways across the Eurobodalla Shire.

We are continually extending the network to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists. The Eurobodalla Pathways Strategy helps us identify locations and prioritise new paths.

• Eurobodalla Pathways Strategy (7.7 MB)

New pathways are generally prioritised with particular consideration to:

• the safety of school children, the elderly and people with a disability
• areas with lots of traffic, such as shopping centres.

We build pathways based on Council's annual budget, or when we receive grant funding or a contribution from the community.

We try to keep the pathway network well-maintained, in line with Council’s risk management policies.

• Pathways Risk Management Policy (256.7 KB)

Essential Energy owns and maintains the streetlights in the Eurobodalla. Any new streetlights are installed by Essential Energy at Council’s expense.

Each year we assess and prioritise areas that might benefit from additional lighting. Usually we prioritise lights at intersections on urban roads and along pathways leading to bus stops.

Sometimes we receive requests from the community for new streetlights. These requests help us develop the annual program for new street lighting. However, streetlights don’t come cheap, and Council has a limited budget for new installations.

Please report any streetlight faults to Essential Energy. It's quick and easy to do online:

• Report a streetlight fault

Fingerboard signs

Fingerboard signs (or directional signs) provide information about street names and key destinations. They can include public facilities such as boat ramps, hospitals, shops. Fingerboard signs are positioned on posts at street junctions in highly visible locations.

Businesses can request fingerboard signs directing people to their enterprise. In line with Council's Fingerboards Signs Policy, we aim to install signs:

• on a priority basis
• in a consistent and fair manner
• without compromising road safety.

A maximum of five signs can be installed at any one junction point to avoid any adverse impact on road safety.

• Fingerboard Signs – Local directional Policy (241.6 KB)

Wildlife signs

Sometimes community members ask Council to provide signs to increase awareness of wildlife along our roads.

We understand the concern, but road safety experts report wildlife advisory signs have little or no impact on driver behaviour.

We encourage motorists to be aware of:

• the unpredictable nature of wild animals in all locations
• increased animal activity around dawn and dusk.