Kempsey Shire Council is expected to accept, at its monthly meeting today, nearly $3.5 million from the state roads authority to maintain the thoroughfare over the next 10 years.

The RMS offer covers the cost of maintenance in full for the first five years, and 50 per cent for the ensuing five years.

Council’s Infrastructure Services director Robert Scott has been involved in negotiations since June last year.

“This does finalise one chapter of Kempsey’s status as a former highway town,” he said.

“The RMS has a policy for (road infrastructure) handovers and has developed a process.”

Mr Scott said the council and the NSW government department had conceded on various aspects of the former Pacific Hwy, which came effectively under council control once the bypass opened in March 2013.

The two parties determined an agreed level of maintenance and costs for the 14km stretch of road from South Kempsey to Frederickton.

This included funding for adjusting road levels at Lord and Macleay Sts, which had been affected by the comparatively high volume of heavy vehicle traffic.

The Macleay Valley Way, as it is now known formally, retains ‘regional road’ status for the 10-year period, thereby qualifying for an increase to the NSW government block grant funding received by the council.

The Kempsey traffic bridge over the Macleay River will remain an RMS asset, with the council responsible for maintaining the road surface, walkway and pedestrian fencing.

Mr Scott said it was the only steel truss bridge in the shire and it was more practical for the RMS to draw on its own resources in the event of any structural maintenance issues.

The Infrastructure Services department report on the old highway handover recommends acceptance of the maintenance funding offer and the retention of the bridge as an RMS asset.

Mr Scott acknowledged there had been angst among some council staff and councillors over the handover, but he anticipated the recommendation would be approved at today’s meeting.