TEMPORARY FIX: This week council put a temporary layer of asphalt over part of the footpath on Berry Street.
ASPHALT has been laid over part of Berry Street footpath as a temporary fix until funds become available to replace the path properly.
The poor state of the footpath came under the spotlight in February after Sussex Inlet resident Beryl Lahene went to the media out of frustration when a letter she wrote to council about the issue went unanswered.
On February 6 Mrs Lahene fell over while walking along the Berry Street footpath. She landed heavily on her knees and face and tore a ligament in her foot.
After Mrs Lahene’s story was aired on radio Shoalhaven Mayor Joanna Gash phoned Mrs Lahene to apologised for the lack of communication.
Cr Gash also assured Mrs Lahene that repairs to that section of footpath would have priority.
Council staff laid asphalt over a section of pavement adjacent to 48 and 50 Berry Street, to smooth over the hazards and stop water pooling.
The Berry Street footpath has been identified as a priority for capital works funding should council’s recent application for an 8 per cent rate rise be successful.
Mayor Gash said if council’s application for a rate rise was approved it would allow a number of paths and roads in need of urgent maintenance to receive funding.
Cr Gash said while the asphalt might not look as good as other paved areas in the Nowra CBD, the work had provided a cost effective method of alleviating the trip hazards.
She said a full upgrade of the footpath would be one of council’s first priorities if the rate rise was approved.
Council staff will undertake follow-up site visits across the next week to further remove bitumen splash tracking appearing on tiled areas and adjacent private property.