The $18 million is not going to fix everything that needs fixing but it will make a difference to some of our most notoriously bad routes.

All up, 27 sites around the region will receive a spruce-up with a particularly awful stretch on the Woolsthorpe-Heywood road being the most expensive job at a cost of more than $5 million.

The Premier announced the funding on his home turf yesterday with his eye firmly set on the November election and his seat of South West Coast.

A popular local member who puts his self-deprecating humour and Mr Nice Guy routine to good use, Dr Napthine is also a clever and astute politician.

Well aware that the region’s roads are among the worst in the state, he had no choice but to act on them.

Failure to do so would have been a betrayal of every single person who has to drive a vehicle of any kind in south-west Victoria, past those ubiquitous ‘‘Rough Surface’’ signs.

Our roads have been getting steadily worse with wet weather making some routes downright dangerous.

Indeed it could be argued that the condition of some of our highways has contributed to accidents — swerving to avoid deep potholes or negotiating slippery, badly maintained bitumen at speed does not make for safe or happy motoring.

It has been a bumpy and distinctly uncomfortable ride for the region’s drivers and it has most certainly taken a toll on the local economy.

While $18 million is a tidy sum that will contribute to bringing part of the region’s road network up to scratch, the network needs further state and federal funding before we can confidently declare that the job is done.

For now though our premier and local member — with exquisite timing and to the relief of all his constituents — has put his money where his mouth is.

At last.