The Victorian Government is rolling out a major road maintenance blitz to rebuild, repair, and resurface roads.
Minister for Roads and Road Safety Melissa Horne launched the $964 million road maintenance blitz at the South Geelong depot of Fulton Hogan, one of the contractors that will deliver these works between now and mid-2025. Around 70 per cent of funding ($650 million) will go to regional Victoria.
The Wombat Post understands that roads were prioritised based on expert assessments and community feedback. In the local region this will include:
- Gisborne-Kilmore Road
- Tylden -Woodend Road
- Kilmore- Lancefield Road
- Heathcote-Kyneton Road With roads nearby including:
- Vineyard Road Sunbury
- Midland Hwy between Blampied and Newlyn
- Bendigo Redesdale Road
Somewhat surprisingly, the Ballan-Daylesford Road, which has attracted considerable criticism from local motorists, is not included in the list of roads targeted by the blitz. However, a spokesperson for the Minister has indicated that additional local works are still being decided and more information will be available on them when finalised.
Projects will address road rehabilitation and resurfacing, patching potholes and maintaining bridges, signage and road infrastructure.
But work will depend on having extended periods of warmer and drier conditions, which is why most work is done between now and May each year, ensuring repairs last.
Repeated flooding and above-average rainfall has caused unprecedented damage to our roads which meant the roads maintenance program needed to focus on rebuilding damaged roads last year. Simply resurfacing these roads would not have prevented further degradation.
Work to rebuild the most flood-damaged roads is now complete and resurfacing and rehabilitation work will significantly increase during the upcoming maintenance season.
This article is based on a media release from the office of Mary-Anne Thomas.
