POTHOLES could plague Tamworth for "months" as council staff work to prioritise patching up the damage done when floodwaters swept through town.
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Tamworth Regional Council has been inundated with "literally hundreds" of calls from residents concerned about the condition of roads after rain wreaked havoc.
Council's manager of infrastructure and works Murray Russell revealed the clean-up would be lengthy, but shouldn't come at an extra cost to the community.
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"We can shift our priorities for a while without leading to a significant financial cost to the community ... we can absorb the clean-up cost within our normal operations," Mr Russell told the Leader.
He said road crews had been working on main routes that needed to be cleared for heavy traffic first.
"If there is something that's causing a lot of people angst, we will be straight onto it, but if it's a more remote area and there is no immediate problem we will have to prioritise," he said.
"At this stage, the more minor damage could take months to get to, after a rain event like this there are lots of repairs needed around the place."
Traffic chaos ruled in Tamworth when just one river crossing was left open for several hours on Wednesday, and Mr Russell said clearing Scott Road and Jewry Street became urgent.
"Each of those roads carry a lot of traffic and to funnel three into one ... was a huge challenge," he said.
"The traffic lights were struggling and the people trying to get where they had to go were struggling, but as far as the structures go, the traffic loads won't have a real impact on the road itself.
"The most urgent thing is to get the road clear and traffic moving, and secondary is to clear the sides of the road and get rid of flood debris that isn't an immediate problem."
Council staff have been busy assessing the countless roads that were closed across the region during the past few days.
Some low-lying routes remained shut into the weekend, with water still pooled in some places.
"Staff are monitoring how those ones are going and they will be reopened as soon as the level drops," Mr Russell said.
The ultimate clean-up cost and flood damage done will continue to be revealed and counted in the weeks ahead.
Mr Russell said Transport for NSW crews based in Tamworth would patch up the New England Highway outside town, after it was smashed with extra traffic travelling inland during the flood crisis, and by heavy rain.
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