Monday, 31 July 2017

The Andrews Labor Government is investigating ways to improve safety and traffic flow on some of Eastern Victoria’s most important arterial roads.

Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing today announced almost $3 million to prepare business cases for road upgrades to reduce congestion and improve safety of key roads in the region.

Funding will enable VicRoads to conduct extensive traffic studies and community consultation on four different projects to identify the best solutions for locals and industry. They are:

• $1.4 million to ease pressure on Princes Highway East by undertaking further planning for a bypass of Traralgon
• $500,000 to explore options for road upgrades in Warragul and Drouin to improve traffic flow, local road access and road safety
• $300,000 to further plan a 4.5km section of the South Gippsland Highway south of Korumburra near Coal Creek, focusing on removing a number of sharp bends to boost road safety and travel times.
• $500,000 to examine potential upgrades along the Bass Highway between Anderson and Leongatha to boost traffic flow, local road access and safety.
Local residents and businesses will be able to have their say on these projects during the consultation phase.

Following the traffic studies and community consultation, VicRoads will prepare business cases outlining potential upgrades for consideration by the government. This planning work is part of the Government’s $20 million Planning our Future package to improve Victoria’s arterial road network.

Quotes attributable to Member for Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing:

“We’re investing in important planning work to find the best possible solutions to reduce congestion and improve safety on Gippsland roads.”

“We’re listening to locals every step of the way as we plan the road infrastructure Gippsland needs, to get people where they need to be, safer and sooner.”