Friday, April 27, 2018

Drivers in Gippsland 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 $66 million maintenance uplift for Gippsland.

As part of the unprecedented road work blitz, urgently needed repairs will be carried out on sections of the Princes Highway East and the South Gippsland Highway as well as dozens of other roads in need of repair.

Across the state more than 1000km 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 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.

Gippsland will also see important upgrades to vital connections including a new dual lane roundabout to be built at the intersection of Phillip Island Road and Back Beach Road on Phillip Island to improve safety and traffic flow.

This enormous investment in country roads builds on the record breaking program of upgrades and maintenance carried out across Victoria, including along the Hyland Highway, Korumburra-Wonthaggi Road and Stratford Maffra 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 and we’re 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 Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing

“We are absolutely determined to improve the safety and durability of more roads across Gippsland, and this investment will build on works that are either already complete or currently underway. For residents and visitors in the Bass Coast area, the new roundabout at the intersection of Phillip Island Road and Back Beach Road will significantly improve safety and reduce congestion, particularly during when visitor numbers peak.”

“There is always more to do, but this record investment in regional road works, resurfacing and safety upgrades will make more roads and communities safer, improve efficiency and help industry to improve productivity in getting goods to market.”