A group of Greta residents have found themselves in a Mexican stand-off between local councils.
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The saga of Orient Street is long-running, but residents have renewed their call to have the street’s 500 metres of dirt track tarred.
The problem is getting someone to do it.
One side of Orient street is within Maitland City Council’s boundary, while the other is in Cessnock local government area.
The street is managed by Cessnock, but half of the residents pay rates to Maitland.
“We feel we are in a Mexican stand-off between both councils who refuse to budge from their positions,” resident Jerzy Lodo said.
The problems started when Maitland council approved a subdivision at the north-eastern end of Orient Street.
At the time, residents had hoped the creation of the subdivision would result in a new road surface, but instead only a portion of the street was tarred.
“The missing section of road measures 500 metres only,” resident Pauline Lodo said.
“We have tried to get this 500 metres sealed for as long as we can remember but the councils totally refuse. It’s a standoff between them.”
More than 15 years ago the Lodos launched a campaign for just 500 metres of tar.
Now the situation has become worse with an increase in traffic coming from the the New England Highway.
“Over many years we have bounced over, swerved around, driven through and fallen into potholes, washouts, drains and corrugations that should not be part of the most used section of this road,” Mr Lodo said.
“Our efforts to rectify this situation have fallen on deaf ears.”
A Cessnock council spokeswoman said it was aware of the condition of Orient Street and does undertake maintenance to keep the rural road standard.
“Council undertakes maintenance to the following sections of Orient Street between New England Highway and Nelson Street and Wyndham Street to the dead end,” she said.
“Maintenance is proposed four times annually depending on the assessed condition.”
Maitland council confirmed residents had been in contact about the condition of the street, but claimed no responsibility for the state of the road surface.
“This information has been passed on to Cessnock City Council,” a Maitland council spokesman said.
“Orient Street in Greta is within the Cessnock City Council Local Government Area, and Cessnock City Council is responsible for all maintenance and upgrades to the road.”
The Lodos said they would continue to push for the road to be fixed, even if it did not happen in their lifetime.
