ROADWORKS have sparked road rage for Harper Avenue residents who say they're fed up with feeling like they're on "house arrest" during construction.
Lake Macquarie City Council started the works earlier this year to fix cracked pavement and potholes as well as widen the road at Edgeworth.
A resident told the Newcastle Herald that since then, the roadworks have had a significant impact on the daily lives of people living in the street.
"We've had restricted access to our driveways, which is our home," she said.
"The roadworks start at 7am and at 4pm they're still going, it has a massive impact on the welbeing of people.
"We live here, this is our home, I don't think it's reasonable that we should be expected to park somewhere else especially for older people and people with disabilities, it's just not fair."
The resident raised issues with potential safety hazards, claiming heavy machinery and equipment were being left "haphazardly" on the roadside, obstructing access to driveways and nature strips.
She argued the construction disrupted residents who operated businesses from their homes and said locals had had disputes with council workers over being told to limit their comings and goings.
A spokeswoman for the council confirmed it had received five complaints about the roadworks.
"Council does not believe any equipment has been left in an unsafe manner," she said.
"Council staff met with a resident following a complaint regarding an interaction with a traffic control operator.
"Council crews and contractors were reminded of the importance of courteous interactions and ensuring residents remain safe, and wherever possible, minimising disruptions to the residents in Harper Avenue and surrounding streets."
The spokeswoman said the council hadn't received any feedback about disruptions to livelihood or limited accessibility to home businesses.
She said the council's Construction Management Plan outlined several actions to minimise impacts on residents.
Under the plan, there should be no noisy works outside the hours of 7am to 6pm, and dust suppression measures should be in place along with adequate traffic management.
"Communication and consultation have occurred with residents through letter box drops, door knocks and direct calls to residents," she said.
The Harper Avenue resident said she felt complaints to the council had gone unanswered or had minimal response.
"The Lake Mac council's response of 'get over it' to residents' complaints has left many feeling unheard and unsupported," she said.
"There have also been many instances where access to both ends of the street have been blocked, meaning aged, young people and those with health concerns have been expected to park away from their property and walk across an active construction site."
According to the council, it plans to finish the roadworks up to Dunn Street by mid November, which should reduce the impact on road users and residents.
The entire project is due to be finished in December 2024.
