Andrews Labor Government to fund significant road widening works

The Andrews Labor Government will be investing $40 million into upgrading several of Victoria’s narrowest roads.

Minister for Roads and Road Safety Luke Donnellan and Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney announced the works and the funding at a maintenance visit to the intersection of Myamyn-Macarthur Road and Hamilton-Port Fairy Road in Macarthur.

The planned works will see 40 kilometres of road widened to allow for traffic to pass through in both directions. Previously, many commuters would have to navigate slightly off road when cars approached coming from the opposite direction on these roads.

The roads will be completely reconstructed and resurfaced to enable the widening works. Planning for these projects have already begun with the aim that all construction works will start in 2017.

Minister for Roads and Road Safety Luke Donnellan stated that the funding will ensure commuters have access to safe roads.

“This funding will mean that a number of unsafe and deteriorating roads across South Western Victoria will be fixed, benefitting the local community, freight vehicles and tourist traffic.

The Liberals had four years to fix roads in the south west and they did nothing. We are taking action now to make sure residents have safe and reliable roads.”

An initial project list has been created that includes Myamyn-Macarthur Road and Foxhow Road, Hamilton, Hopkins and Glenelg Highways. Other roads closer to Geelong that will undergo work include the Bellarine Highway and Geelong-Ballan Road.

Data shows that Victoria’s south west has seen a rapid increase in heavy vehicles navigating its roads, thanks to an influx of new works in the forestry, wind farms and mineral sands industries.  Due to the heavy use, the roads have deteriorated to near dangerous levels.

As well as the widening works, $44.4 million has been set aside to upgrade road surfaces across Victoria’s south west. 

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