Regional Roads Victoria chief officer Paul Northey and regional director for the south-west Mark Koliba visited the Warrnambool-Caramut Road to discuss the major works, starting next week.

Mr Koliba said about 10.5 kilometers of the road, located between Bromfield Road and the Hamilton Highway, would be re-built and widened. 

“Our latest count shows that 350 people use the Warrnambool-Caramut Road per day and that is a mixture of freight, cars and school buses,” he said. 

“Drivers are currently unable to pass safely and are forced to go onto the shoulder of the road.

“Widening this section to a proper standard will mean vehicles can pass each other safely, which is a great outcome for the community.”

The Warrnambool-Caramut Road is one of three projects that will start on Monday. 

Five kilometres of Coleraine-Edenhope Road (between Harrow- Balmoral Road and Harrow) and just under a kilometre of Casterton-Apsley Road (at Nangeela) will also be reconstructed, resurfaced and widened.

Mr Northey said the projects were part of 133 kilometers of narrow road upgrades in the south-west.

He said upgrades were already complete on Foxhow Road, Skipton Road, Myamyn-Macarthur Road, Ayresford Road, Timboon-Nullawarre Road, Inverleigh-Winchelsea Road and Inverleigh-Shelford Road.

“We know how important these roads are to locals and it is really important that we are progressively widening them and making sure they are safe,” Mr Northey said.

“The works will ensure these sections of road have sealed shoulders and a full lane in each direction.”

Further safety improvements will include new barriers, signs, better line marking and drainage upgrades.

Mr Northey said works on the Warrnambool-Caramut Road and Coleraine-Edenhope Road were due to be completed in March, while the Casterton-Apsley Road would be finished prior to Christmas. 

He said lane closures would be in effect and the speed limit would be reduced to 40km/h.

The upgrades are part of a $941 million investment into regional roads.

Mr Koliba said $40 million had been allocated to the Princes Highway between Colac and the South Australia boarder. 

“We’ll be doing extensive works on the highway over this summer season,” he said. 

“We’ve started the upgrades from the South Australia-side and are working back to Colac. 

“This coming summer we will be working in the Glenelg and Moyne Shire areas which will be great to deal with some of those poorer parts of the Princes Highway.” 

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