Home›Questions on Notice›QoN 835

❓ Hon Steve Martin questions the effectiveness of Main Roads' bridge maintenance funding and seeks data on bridge age and maintenance backlog reduction. The response details the backlog reduction but states funding isn't specifically allocated, relying on risk-based prioritisation.

AnsweredQoN 835Legislative Council

Asked

23 October 2025

Member

Hon Steve Martin

Portfolio

Transport

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to the 2016 Auditor General report 'Maintaining the State Road Network - Follow-on Audit' page 7, which says that "between 2012 and 2016, Main Roads received additional funding of $236 million to address the maintenance backlog. This funding was used for overdue resurfacing as well as new resurfacing needs, reducing the overall backlog value by $78 million and the average surface age by a year since 2010", and "...Main Roads is yet to analyse the cost effectiveness of the focus on resurfacing and how this compares to other approaches", and I ask: (a) what funding has been allocated specifically to address overdue bridge fixing and rebuilding maintenance works since the 2017-18 financial year and what has been the impact of this funding on reducing the overall backlog; and (b) what was the average age of bridges on the state road network as at 30 June in each of the following years: (i) 2017; (ii) 2020; and (iii) 2025?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered

2 December 2025

Responded by

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport

Response time

7 days

(a)-(b) Main Roads does not allocate funding specifically for the bridge maintenance backlog. Risk based prioritisation is used within maintenance budget constraints.
The backlog is reported each year in Main Roads’ Strategic Asset Plan. The table below shows how the backlog has changed over time.
Backlog as at June
$m
2018
99
2019
90
2020
72
2021
Not reported
2022
97
2022
97
2023
63
2024
63
2025
54
The backlog has reduced from $99 million in 2018 to $54 million currently.

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