The Victorian government has announced a record $1 billion investment into upgrading roads, targeting potholes and graffiti to make roads safer as part of a pre-Budget commitment.
Ahead of the upcoming Budget, the government has revealed it will invest a record $1.04 billion to rebuild, repair and resurface roads across the state.
This will include removing 200,000 potholes, 200,000 graffiti tags and more as part of one of the biggest roads blitzes in Victoria’s history.
The state government says 70 per cent of funds will go to regional Victoria, repairing arterial roads, maintaining bridges and delivering emergency roadworks.
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“This is the biggest roads blitz in the state’s history, and most of that money is going to regional Victoria,” Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan says.
“We’re delivering better, safer roads – and with 20 per cent off rego, it’s cheaper to get around.”
As part of the funding, $36.9 million will clean up 10 of the state’s busiest freeways with rubbish and graffiti removal, including on the West Gate, Hume, Calder and Monash freeways.
This follows the state’s recent road maintenance focus, with 187,000 potholes being repaired over the past year and 31,000 signs being repaired.
This takes the state government’s road maintenance investment to nearly $3 billion over the past three years in what it labels the “largest sustained investment in road maintenance” in Victoria’s history.
“We’re rebuilding and repairing the roads that Victorians depend on every day,” Victorian roads and road safety minister Ros Spence says.
“Victorians are already seeing the results with 187,000 potholes removed this year – now we’re doubling down.”
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