Drivers in the South West Victoria can look forward to safer, more reliable roads as the Andrews Labor Government launches the biggest regional road maintenance blitz Victoria has ever seen.
The Victorian Budget 2018/19 allocates $941 million to get on with the job of fixing Victoria’s regional road network, including a massive $77 million maintenance uplift for the south west.
As part of the unprecedented road work blitz, urgently needed maintenance will be carried out on sections of Anglesea Road, Bells Beach Road and Belmont-Corio Road as well as dozens of other roads in need of repair.
Across the state more than 1,000 kilometres of roads will be repaired, resurfaced or rebuilt.
It’s not just the key arterials that are set for an upgrade — local councils will be able to apply to the new $100 million Fixing Local Country Roads fund to get the support they need to fix their local roads.
To oversee this massive investment, the Labor Government will establish Regional Roads Victoria (RRV), a division of VicRoads based in Ballarat, with staff in regional centres across the state.
Led by a Chief Regional Roads Officer, RRV will have the sole focus of giving country communities roads they can rely on.
The south west will also see major works to vital connections like the Hamilton Highway, with works already underway between Geelong and Cressy to improve safety and traffic flow.
Key roads between Barwon Downs and the Great Ocean Road will also be upgraded including Birregurra-Forrest Road, Forrest Apollo-Bay Road and Skenes Creek Road.
The Princes Highway West between Colac and the South Australian border will be strengthened and resurfaced,
This enormous investment in country roads builds on the record breaking program of upgrades and maintenance carried out across Victoria, including Foxhow Road, Ayresford Road and Myamyn-McArthur Road.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Road and Road Safety, Luke Donnellan
“We’re giving country Victorians safer and more reliable roads. Since coming to office we’ve doubled spending on road maintenance — fixing hundreds of regional roads across the state.”
“We’re making this record investment and establishing Regional Roads Victoria to reduce congestion, improve safety and support primary producers to get their goods to market.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney
“This massive investment in our local roads will see major upgrades, resurfacing and rebuilds across the south west – giving our communities the roads they can rely on.”
“We know there is an enormous amount to be done, roads in the south west have been neglected for too long, but only Labor is investing the money that we need to fix our road network.”