Warrnambool Mayor and Regional Cities Victoria chair Ben Blain has welcomed the Victorian Government’s $352 million road maintenance commitment but warned the money will not reverse years of deterioration across the state’s regional road network.
The funding will double the number of potholes repaired this year from 250,000 to 500,000, with much of the work expected to take place during the drier conditions in the second half of the year and into January.
“Today’s $352 million toward further road maintenance is a long overdue acknowledgement by the Victorian Government that the condition of our road network is simply not good enough,” Cr Blain said.
“Victoria did not get into this position overnight and we will not patch our way out of it in one summer.” he said.
While the additional maintenance will address some of the immediate damage facing motorists, Cr Blain says many regional roads had deteriorated beyond the point where another temporary repair would be enough.
“Years of chronic underinvestment have left too many regional roads at the point where they need rebuilding, not simply another temporary repair,” said Cr Blain
“RCV will continue to call for a $2 billion Regional Roads Package over four years – an additional $500 million every year above existing road maintenance funding – to begin the long-term task of restoring the state’s regional road network.” he said.
The condition of regional roads has become a growing safety and economic concern for communities that depend on them for daily travel, freight movements, farming and access to essential services.
According to Blain the decline had continued while major Melbourne infrastructure projects absorbed billions of dollars in cost overruns.
“For years, regional Victorians have watched billions in cost overruns absorbed by Melbourne’s Big Build while the roads connecting our communities, farms, businesses and freight networks have continued to deteriorate,”
“What regional Victoria now needs is a sustained, long-term commitment to rebuilding safer roads that are fit for the people and industries that rely on them.” he said.
Premier Ben Carroll said the repair program would accelerate as rainfall eased over the coming weeks. Most of the 500,000 potholes are expected to be filled during the second half of the year and into January, when conditions are generally at their driest.
The Princes Highway has been identified as one of the major roads that will receive work through the funding program. However, RCV maintains that repeated rounds of pothole repairs will not provide the long-term reconstruction required across regional Victoria.
For years, regional Victorians have watched billions in cost overruns absorbed by Melbourne’s Big Build while the roads connectingcommunities, farms, businesses and freight networks have continued to deteriorate.
