Money for rural roads
Victorian Agriculture Minister Jaala Pulford has confirmed the State Government will provide $5.54-million for Wimmera and Mallee roads.
She said the funding, through the government’s Local Roads to Market Program, would help the region’s agriculture sector transport produce to market quicker and safer than in the past.
The funding is earmarked for 17 road and bridge upgrades across eight municipalities to improve heavy vehicle access from the farm gate to arterial roads, receival centres and transport hubs.
Ms Pulford said the Local Roads to Market program supported farming communities throughout the Wimmera and Mallee.
“It ensures top-quality grain, livestock and vegetable produce makes it to market as quickly and safely as possible,” she said.
“These important road and bridge upgrades will improve the competitiveness of agribusinesses across the Wimmera-mallee and improve the safety of country roads for all users.”
The money will go towards widening and sealing roads, improving the load-bearing capacity of bridges and intersection works, and funding several key Wimmera-mallee projects including – • $1.3-million to seal and widen roads in Yarriambiack Shire. • $1.2-million for Yeungroon Road and Birchip-corack Road projects in Buloke Shire. • $750,000 for Meridian South Road to widen and seal a further six-kilometre section of road. • $700,000 for Antwerp-woorak Road and Rainbow-nhill projects. • $548,000 for the Annuello-wemen Road and O’connor Lane projects in Swan Hill Shire. • $687,000 in Northern Grampians Shire for three projects to upgrade bridges and an intersection as well as bridges at Logan. • $128,500 to complete the final stage of the Wonwondah-dadswells Bridge Road upgrade in Horsham Rural City. • $90,000 to support Gannawarra Shire to improve access to Quambatook grain receival centre.
The Wimmera-mallee upgrades are part of 39 projects valued at $24-million under round two of the program.
Round one funded 29 projects valued at $22.2-million across regional and rural Victoria in 2017.