Road maintenance blitz rolls out across central victoria

A major Andrews Labor Government investment will help support an annual maintenance blitz on the state’s roads, improving connections to education, employment, family and friends for drivers across central Victoria.

The $780 million investment – which is double the funding of the Liberal National Party when they were last in office – will rebuild, repair and resurface more than 365 kilometres of roads across central Victoria.

An army of workers will spend the next eight months delivering more than 290 individual projects across some of the region’s busiest and most important transport and travel routes, including the Calder Highway, Lancefield-Tooboorac Road and Tylden-Woodend Road.

The roads set to be targeted under the maintenance blitz have been selected based upon expert inspections and community feedback, ensuring that works are delivered where local drivers need them most.

Right across the state, crews will deliver more than 1,300 individual road maintenance projects, patch thousands of potholes and replace and repair 20,000 roadside signs.

This major investment will also ensure other vital parts of the road network are up to scratch, including rebuilding bridges, culverts and retaining walls, and inspecting and maintaining thousands of traffic lights, signs and other structures.

These works will harness the latest technology and methods to ensure that the road maintenance program delivers the best results for all Victorians, while also continuing to support an estimated 1,800 jobs right across the state.

An additional $3.2 million of funding will be invested in maintaining regional roadsides, with more mowing, weed spraying and graffiti removal work set to be completed across the network.

The latest blitz comes on the back of the 2021/22 maintenance season which improved more than 1,500 kilometres of regional roads, including 390 kilometres across north-central Victoria, adding to the more than 12,000 kilometres of roads rebuilt and resurfaced across Victoria since 2014.

It is all part of the Labor Government’s continued investment in upgrading the region’s transport network, with major projects such as the Bendigo and Echuca Rail Line Upgrade and the Murray Basin Rail Plan, boosting capacity and efficiency for commuters, freight operators and primary producers.

Quote attributable to Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas
"The roads across our region are critical in getting Macedon Ranges residents where they need to go and keeping them on the move."

Quotes attributable to Minister for Roads and Road Safety Ben Carroll
"Since 2014, we’ve made record investments in upgrading and maintaining the state’s road network and this work will continue over the next eight months – with a majority of funding spent in regional Victoria."

"Right across the state, crews will begin repairing and rebuilding the roads that regional Victorians rely on most, connecting people with employment and education opportunities, key freight routes, family and friends."

Quote attributable to Member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan
"We know how critical our roads are to Bendigo residents, which is why we are continuing to make significant investments year-on-year into maintaining these key routes to keep locals on the move."

Quote attributable to Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards
"Whether you’re a local driver or a visitor exploring all that the Bendigo region has to offer, these works will ensure that your journey is smoother and more reliable."