SINGLETON Council has called for urgent help as its $15 million damage bill continues to climb in the wake of multiple flood emergencies.
Unprecedented circumstances require an unprecedented response, mayor Sue Moore said, calling for urgent government assistance to increase and fast-track road funding.
Cr Moore also called on the state and federal governments to give councils a leg-up with new funding for machinery and skilled workers to expedite the region's crumbling road repairs.
"With three floods in the past 12 months alone, the impact on road infrastructure across the Singleton local government area is significant," she said.
"Council staff have made a preliminary estimated cost of $15 million, but we expect this number to continue to grow.
"As well as the impacts on our assets, we must also consider the consequences for the local economy given the local and regional road network is critically enabling infrastructure and vital for primary producers and other industries reliant on road transport for the distribution of goods to markets and ports."
Singleton joins calls from Local Government NSW and the Country Mayors Association of NSW in declaring a Statewide Road Emergency, based on an estimated $2.5 billion in road damages and the collapse of the local and regional road network.
Cr Moore said the scale and cost of repairs is beyond the reasonable scope of any local government and argued delaying works would greater bigger problems down the track.
"It is therefore urgent that all levels of government work together to address this issue not only for our community now, but for the future," she said.
The council will write to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, the state's opposition leader and local MPs to press the issue.
Horror floods damaged roads across the Hunter region in July, as Singleton was still recovering from an earlier hit in March.
The nearby town of Broke was evacuated after destructive waters overturned cars, wiped out homes and pulled down power lines.
Singleton Council has included the roads issue on its Infrastructure Agenda, which outlines major projects it plans to advocate for.
