WARRNAMBOOL City Council is asking for $300 million to improve the crumbling Princes Highway after detecting 1500 defects on shoddily constructed and poorly maintained government-built roads.
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It comes after the council hired an independent engineer, who audited arterial (VicRoads managed) roads within the municipality’s boundaries.
His report found some of the 1500 defects were of of a serious nature, needing urgent attention. In the five years to June last year, nine people died and 80 were seriously injured on the highway between Colac and the SA border.
“We want to work with the government and with VicRoads,” Mayor Robert Anderson said. “We want to be involved with the plan and consult with them. It’s not just a grab for money.
“The highway is critical to shifting produce from Victoria’s most valuable agricultural region to port and markets.”
He said the council was advocating for state government funding to prepare and implement a plan for the road network which, depending on the location and traffic volumes, could include duplication of the highway, more passing lanes or 2 plus 1 lanes.
“Clearly dual or duplicated sections are required from the Great Ocean Road intersection at Allansford to the Speedway and from Rooneys Road to Port Fairy.”
Vehicle counts on the highway between Warrnambool and Port Fairy show 13,000 cars use the road each day.