The unfinished works have disappointed Garvoc residents who are concerned about dozens of potholes where workers have temporarily sealed the road west of the town.

Completion was scheduled for the 2018-19 financial year, but RRV's acting south-west regional director Emma Miller-Olsen said works were suspended for winter.

"We were hopeful the weather would hold to allow us to complete this work, but unfortunately the wet and cold conditions have forced us to postpone," Ms Miller-Olsen said.

"Contractors will be back on site in spring to complete this work."

A temporary seal has been placed to help protect the work undertaken so far while contractors will monitor the site during winter and undertake repairs at their own expense.

Garvoc resident Sheryl Thomas said works began about two months ago but she was surprised to notice works stopped and the road remained unfinished.

"There are just rows of potholes. It's not one pothole 10 feet apart, every couple of feet there's a pothole," Ms Thomas said.

"They will have to keep coming back all the time and filling potholes."

She said she feared if the road was left as it was it would continue to deteriorate during winter.

"There won't be much left to drive on of the temporary asphalting, it's just all broken away."

Barry Smith, also of Garvoc, travels the road at least twice a day and said he expected the road to be improved following months of work.

"The road was in poor condition beforehand. I like the idea that they were doing something, but the way they have left it is not much better than it started," Mr Smith said.

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"I would hope that they will fix the holes. So long as it gets done properly in the end."

Mr Smith said he ultimately wanted to see the road duplicated.

"I don't know if I'll see that in my lifetime," he added.

The road authority has introduced a temporary 80 km/h speed limit at the unfinished section of road.

Ms Olsen said works were nearing completion on a second section of road further west near Panmure with the speed limit there to soon return to 100km/h.

Both works form part of a $40 million commitment from the Australian and Victorian governments for Princes Highway upgrades between Colac and the South Australian border.

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