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Wollongong City Council has revealed the core of its $69 million infrastructure spending planned for next year, giving ratepayers an insight into which projects get the thumbs up and which miss out.
More than $21 million will be spent to upgrade the city's ailing roads and bridges, $12 million to repave old footpaths and cycleways and provide new ones, and $8 million has been set aside for improving council buildings.
Under the draft works plan, 37 roads will be either reconstructed or resurfaced, including a $250,000 spend on Kanahooka Rd at Brownsville, $470,000 for a new shoulder along Carters Ln, Fairy Meadow, and $80,000 on kerb and guttering along the Princes Hwy at Unanderra.
What slice of a $69 million infrastructure spend will your suburb get? Find out in our interactive maps:
The council will spend $960,000 to install seven new sets of traffic lights, with $750,000 set aside to replace the existing Burelli/Auburn St roundabout with lights.
Mt Keira will receive a $900,000 injection of funds for drainage and stabilisation works, while 10 Wollongong bridges will be upgraded for $660,000.
Meanwhile, a council promise to fast-track footpaths and cycleway upgrades if it is successful in securing a $20 million subsidised loan has been factored into the budget.
The extra cash would be used over the next three years to clear a $7.2 million footpath backlog and create new shared pathways.
Twenty-three footpaths and cycleways will be replaced and 17 new walkways created using existing funds, with a further five projects in the pipeline if the funding application is successful.
The bulk of the subsidised works are due to be carried out in the 2013/14 and 2014/15 budget.
Among the footpath projects is the design of stage one of the Grand Pacific Walk between Stanwell Park and Coalcliff.
The $250,000 allocation has been welcomed by the walk's strongest advocate, ward one councillor Leigh Colacino.
"This walk covers tourism, healthy living, lifestyle and connecting communities - it's got all the components of a great piece of infrastructure for us," he said. "I'd love to see this become one the the country's, if not the world's best coastal walks."
A number of council-owned buildings and facilities will also receive work next year, including a $750,000 new cafe and kitchen at the IPAC, almost $2 million worth of upgrades to Thirroul and Sandon Point surf lifesaving clubs and replacement toilet blocks at Stuart Park and Towradgi.
Ten city playgrounds will also share in more than half a million to have their play equipment replaced.
Visit www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au for a full list of capital works and a suburb-by-suburb breakdown.