The Andrews Labor Government’s new, dedicated country roads body, Regional Roads Victoria, has opened its doors and is getting started on the biggest road maintenance blitz Victoria has ever seen.
Across south-western Victoria, Regional Roads Victoria will oversee more than $84 million of improvement works on roads right across the region’s 4000-kilometre arterial network.
This season, about $6 million will be spent improving the worst sections of Lavers Hill-Cobden Road – the most significant upgrade to take place on this road in the past decade.
Not only is this road a vital route connecting local communities, it has also become a popular alternative for drivers travelling inland from the Great Ocean Road.
This upgrade will completely rebuild about 10.8 kilometres across five locations to improve the longevity of the road surface and ensure it can best cater to growing traffic numbers.
About 2.5 kilometres of Penshurst-Dunkeld Road will also be made stronger and safer thanks to around $1.6 million of improvement works.
This upgrade will rebuild and strengthen this damaged section of road to ensure it is fit for purpose for the drivers and heavy vehicles that use it every day.
Sections of Casterton-Apsley Road, Coleraine-Edenhope Road and Warrnambool-Caramut Road will be widened and strengthened to provide a full lane width in each direction, to ensure drivers no longer have to move off the road to avoid oncoming vehicles.
Other roads targeted this maintenance season include the Bellarine Highway, Fyansford-Gheringhap Road, Anglesea Road, the Geelong Ring Road and Barwon Heads-Ocean Grove Road.
Victorians will now be able to find out what works are underway or planned across the state via the new website – – or through the new, dedicated, Ballarat-based call centre 133 RRV (778).
For the first time, the community can view and keep track of the annual program of maintenance works and projects thanks to a new interactive state-wide map.
Quote attributable to Minister for Roads Luke Donnellan
“Since coming to office we’ve doubled spending on road maintenance and from today regional Victoria will have a dedicated agency solely focused on fixing country roads.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney
“We’ve heard the communities in the south west loud and clear – that’s why we’re not wasting anytime getting on with the job of upgrading the roads people rely on.”
“The massive program of works announced today is just the beginning – we’ll have more to say about road rebuilds, resurfacing and further upgrades as the maintenance season ramps up.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020