A fully duplicated highway between Warrnambool and Port Fairy is a high priority for independent South West Coast election candidate Mike Neoh.
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He is calling for a business case to be completed to assess the viability of duplication so State and Federal Government funding could be applied for.
“The first step is to do a business case for it,” he said.
“This isn't pie in the sky. If we have the plan then we can align state and federal funding. It's about getting the business case done to apply for that funding.”
He said duplication would make dangerous parts of the road, including the notorious ‘mad mile’ at Illowa, safer.
“In 2000 a report said a corridor between Warrnambool and Port Fairy needed looking into,” he said.
“We’ve had no action on that since. The ‘mad mile’ is a real horror section of the highway. The entrance into Tower Hill is also a real issue. We’ve had a number of fatalities in this area. If I get elected I will be calling for planning to start the duplication.”
Warrnambool City Council, Moyne Shire, Corangamite Shire and Colac Otway Shire have joined forces under the banner of the Princes Highway West Action Alliance to push for urgently needed works across the 297 kilometre stretch of the highway. Spokesman Scott Cavanagh said the east-west corridor from Colac to the South Australian border had been subject to a major increase in traffic with nine fatalities, 109 serious injuries and more who had been injured as a result of accidents along the highway since 2012.