Motorists in and around Gisborne and Clarkefield will benefit from more than $4.5 million from the Brumby Labor Government to improve safety on key regional roads with a history of run-off-road and intersection crashes.
Roads and Ports Minister Tim Pallas was joined by Member for Macedon Joanne Duncan to announce the funding boost in Clarkefield today, and said it would deliver important safety measures for the region.
“We understand people are concerned about road safety, which is why we’re building a better transport network providing important safety upgrades for local communities,” Mr Pallas said.
“Today’s funding boost will deliver improvements at three sites with a history of crashes and includes more than $4.3 million in run-off-road treatments on the Melbourne-Lancefield Road between Sunbury Road, Sunbury and Sutherland Road, Clarkefield.
“This will see the installation of wire-rope barriers and guard rails as well as road-side clearing, improved signage and line-marking.
“This Government is taking action to improve our road network, investing $650 million over 10 years for road safety improvements through the Safer Road Infrastructure Program.”
Other projects included in the funding boost are:
- $140,000 for lighting to be installed at the Melbourne-Lancefield Road intersection with Station Street in Clarkefield; and
- $60,000 for improvements to the Bacchus Marsh-Gisborne Road and Gisborne-Kilmore Road intersection in Gisborne.
Ms Duncan welcomed the funding boost and said it would provide vital road safety upgrades for the region that would benefit local residents as well as motorists driving through the region.
“Providing safer roads contributes to economic development, boosts road safety and ensures our roads continue to service the community well into the future,” Ms Duncan said.
Last week, the Brumby Labor Government also announced $640,000 for bridge strengthening on the Lancefield-Tooborac Road, north of Lancefield, with work to begin early next year
Mr Pallas said while Victoria had recorded historic low road tolls over the last seven years, the Government remained committed to further reducing road trauma.
“Improving safety on outer metropolitan and regional roads is a key focus of our Government’s arrive alive strategy, which aims to cut the road toll and reduce serious injuries on our roads by 30 per cent by 2017,” he said.
The Victorian Labor Government has spent more than $8.3 billion to improve roads across the state, including over $3.2 billion for regional and rural Victorian roads.