The Andrews Labor Government is making roads in the south west safer with a $40 million investment to upgrade narrow roads and a $10 million maintenance funding boost.
Minister for Roads and Road Safety Luke Donnellan and Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney today visited the intersection of Myamyn-Macarthur Road and Hamilton-Port Fairy Road in Macarthur to announce the funding.
This is an unprecedented investment to repair and widen at least 40 kilometres of arterial roads that are too narrow for two-way traffic. This follows community feedback that locals have to drive on unsealed road shoulders when oncoming vehicles approach.
An initial list of sites where maintenance or widening is an urgent priority has been identified with some of the region’s worst roads to be tackled first, including Myamyn-Macarthur Road and Foxhow Road, Hamilton, Hopkins and Glenelg Highways. Other roads closer to Geelong that will undergo work include the Bellarine Highway and Geelong-Ballan Road.
The upgrades will include road reconstruction and resurfacing, widening and sealing shoulders. Planning works will begin immediately, with construction to begin in 2017.
The south west has experienced a rapid increase in heavy vehicle movements, with the increase in heavy traffic through new industries such as forestry, wind farms and mineral sands, and increases in dairy production.
The condition of key roads in the region has been generally poor for the past decade. The road deterioration has been affected by the increased rainfall over the past few months, and many of the roads were not built to carry the increasing freight volumes.
These improvements will provide a much smoother and safer drive, as well as help preserve the road for years to come.
This funding is in addition to $44.4 Million for resurfacing and reconstruction work on 240 kilometres of roads within south west Victoria which was announced in August 2016.
Quotes attributable to Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney
“The community has told us that these roads aren’t up to scratch – and we’re listening. That’s why we’re building better roads for Victorian families to get them home safer and sooner to their loved ones.”
“We’re getting on with the job and giving south-west residents the quality roads they deserve.”
Quotes Attributable to the Minister for Roads and Road Safety Luke Donnellan
“This funding will mean that a number of unsafe and deteriorating roads across South Western Victoria will be fixed, benefitting the local community, freight vehicles and tourist traffic.”
“The Liberals had four years to fix roads in the south west and they did nothing. We are taking action now to make sure residents have safe and reliable roads.”