Roads are managed in NSW on the basis of an administrative system of State, Regional and Local Roads.
State Roads cover approximately 17,800 km of major arterial roads linking major centres and regions throughout the State and within major urban areas.
The State Government through the RTA is responsible for funding and managing State Roads on a state wide priority basis.
Approximately 4,370 km of State Roads provide interstate links and are identified by the Federal Government as part of the AusLink network for which the Federal Government contributes funding.
The RTA is responsible for managing the full width of the road reserve on those State Roads which are designated as Freeways. The RTA’s responsibility for managing other State Roads focuses on network development, asset renewal and road maintenance, but only in relation to the carriageway and associated roadway elements necessary in order to make provision for the state significance of the route.
The RTA generally funds and manages:
the road formation and associated drains in rural areas
the main carriageway between kerbs in the Sydney area, and
the central lanes through towns elsewhere, including traffic lights, roundabouts, signs and line markings.
Other works and activities that occur within the road reserve such maintenance of footpaths and control of noxious weeds usually remain with the local government councils.
The RTA has the power to regulate other works and activities on State Roads in order to protect the road asset, facilitate efficient traffic movement and promote road safety.
The RTA maintains about 50% of State Roads using its own workforce, with the remaining 45% and 5% maintained through contractual arrangements with councils and private contractors respectively.
Regional Roads comprise about 18,500 km of routes of secondary importance linking smaller towns to the State network and to each other. Councils are responsible for funding, determining priorities and carrying out works on these roads which are capitalised as council assets.
The State Government through the RTA provides a significant level of funding assistance to Local Government for managing these roads.
Local roads cover approximatley 143,600 km of council controlled roads which provide for local circulation and access to adjoining properties.
Councils maintain these roads using funds from their own resources as well as Federal government funding.
The State Government through the RTA provides limited funding assistance for regional and local roads in some circumstances. For example:
- where roads are damaged in declared natural disasters
- road safety and traffic management programs.
The RTA is responsible for managing about 3,000 km of regional and local roads in the unincorporated area of NSW where there is no local government council.
The RTA is also responsible for managing 188 State Asset bridges and ferries of state significance located on council controlled regional and local roads.
There are other roads in NSW which are the responsibility of agencies other than councils and the RTA. These include:
- crown roads (the responsibility of the Minister for Lands)
- roads managed by State Forests. National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Sydney Harbour Foreshore authority.
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