Gunnedah Shire Council applied for more $4 million through the state government's Fixing Local Roads Program in late 2019 to upgrade and seal the remaining 11.6km gravel section of Kelvin Road between Hawker Bridge to Rangari Road.

The council said the project cost was expected to total about $5.4 million, including its 25 per cent co-contribution.

Gunnedah mayor Jamie Chaffey said it would be ideal if the Rangari Road was also sealed because it would give travellers access through the north of the shire.

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Landholders Amanda and Robert White live near Hawker Bridge, just 300m from Kelvin Road, and would be "thrilled" if it was sealed.

"We've been pestering the council for nearly 15 years about the dust problem," Mrs White said.

"It's not just the dust - it's the condition of the road. In general, it's bad."

She said their house was regularly coated in dust and it made for dangerous driving conditions as well.

"A lot of trucks, cattle trucks, grain trucks go through to the north to Barraba and Bingara and Inverell," she said.

Mrs White said she had been emailing, writing and sending photographs to council staff and councillors every few years in the hope that something would be done but "they'd say only that 'we're doing our best. There's not enough traffic [to seal it]' ".

She said Cr Chaffey and general manager Eric Groth visited last year to see it for themselves.

"If they can bitumen that, I would be thrilled," she said.

Sophie and Steve Carter also live on Kelvin Road and use it to move stock and machinery.

"It is in terrible condition most of the time ... It's dangerous and right at the moment there's a bit of a causeway with water in it the whole time and cut out," Mrs Carter said.

"I don't think the council maintains it as a dirt road well enough so they may as well spend the money to seal it. Quite a few people live along there and have problems with dust."

Greg Ward said it would be "a great thing" if the council can secure the funds for the road.

It would mean he would only have to travel one or two kilometres on gravel from his house to his front gate.

Mr Ward owns an earth-moving business and said traffic was only continuing to increase on Kelvin Road because industry was growing in Gunnedah, there were more travellers coming from the north, and a lot of stock on the move.

"If it's bitumen, it will join up with Rangari Road when they do that and it will be pretty good," he said.