The following policy applies where provision of stock crossings across, under or over a road have been requested to connect two parts of a property.
If the least long-term maintenance cost is to use a protective covering over the road (e.g. road/stock mats or a specialised seal coating), then this cost is eligible for funding assistance under Work category 111: Sealed pavement maintenance.
When a new road alignment severs a rural property, the roading portion of an access structure may be included as part of the total road construction cost.
Cost sharing is to be considered on the following basis:
Where existing and proposed stock movements on an existing road significantly affect road traffic, a proportion of the cost of constructing a stock access structure (including fees) will be accepted as a roading cost.
This roading cost may be included in the programme under Work category 341: Minor improvements.
Figure 1 illustrates the proportion of an access structure’s cost that will be accepted as a roading cost, where the structure is to be built on an existing road alignment.
Note: Where a vehicle accident record exists, the project should be considered as a road improvement project. If the project has an investment assessment profile better or equal to the prevailing funding threshold profile, the total cost should be accepted as a roading cost.
The form of the stock access structure should be determined by the needs of the landowner, subject to approval of the design by the Approved Organisation or the Transport Agency (state highways).
The Transport Agency requires that the Approved Organisation or the Transport Agency (state highways) obtains a written undertaking from the landowner that any at grade stock crossing will be eliminated immediately on completion of the access structure.
The Approved Organisation or the Transport Agency (state highways) should also consider an encumbrance to be registered against the title of the property affected by the under or overpass. For a template of an encumbrance, refer to the Road Controlling Authority Forum’s stock crossing guidelines(external link)
Any repairs to the stock access structure may be included in work category 114: structures maintenance. However, at a minimum, the landowner will be responsible for the cost of:
Figure 1
Formula for cost sharing for stock underpasses or overpasses
CS = 0.05 * AADT (on roads having less than 500 AADT) in percent
Where:
CS = 25 percent (on roads having greater than or equal to 500 AADT)
CS = Approved Organisations’ or Transport Agency’s (state highways)
contribution, including the Transport Agency’s
funding assistance, to the total construction cost of
an access structure on an existing road (in percent)
AADT = average traffic volume per day