Roads a focus before speeds
“Very much (the focus) is to make the roads fit for purpose and to accommodate the current economic uses.”
THE State Government will continue to focus on improving infrastructure along rural and regional roads before making any decisions on increasing the Princes Highway speed limit.
Roads Minister Luke Donnellan said the Government was focused on ensuring key state and Geelong region rural roads were “fit for purpose”.
This week Mr Donnellan visited Inverleigh-Shelford Rd — one of more than 100 projects in the region.
More than 2km of Inverleigh-Shelford Rd is being rebuilt, resurfaced and widened to make it safer and smoother.
It is one of a number of projects being upgraded in the southwest as part of the Government’s $40 million investment to improve narrow roads.
The Government has invested $300 million this financial year to improve roads in the southwest, including $90 million for maintenance.
Key sections of GeelongPortarlington Rd, TerangMortlake Rd, Carlisle-Colac Rd, Fyans St and the Bellarine Highway have been repaired, while projects on Barwon Heads Rd, Otway Lighthouse Rd, GeelongBallan Rd and Melbourne Rd are nearing completion.
“Very much (the focus) is to make the roads fit for purpose and to accommodate the current economic uses,”
LUKE DONNELLAN
Mr Donnellan said.
He said many roads had not been built to cater for the number of B-double trucks using the routes.
Mr Donnellan could not say if there were any specific Geelong projects pegged to be announced in next month’s Budget, but committed to “be in there fighting” for funds to maintain, rebuild and repair regional roads.
He still declined to nominate a date when the State Government would either support or oppose a 10km/h speed limit increase on the Princes Highway when asked by the Geelong Advertiser.
“We will do our review once the wire rope barriers are complete, the advice we have pre-wire rope barriers is that a 10km/h speed increase would increase the loss of lives on the road by 30 per cent,” he said.
“That is obviously concerning.”
South Barwon MP Andrew Katos said raising the limit along the Princes Highway, from Werribee to Corio, was needed and still supported by the Opposition.