Country Roads Your insights, our actions - Connecting our communities - VicRoads
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Connecting
our communities
Country Roads
Your insights, our actions
Contents Introduction
01
Introduction
06
What we’re doing
16
Rebuilding Country Roads Your feedback is now shaping the most
region by region
significant period of planning, construction,
maintenance and uplift of the regional road
network since World War Two.
02
Where we went
06
Barwon
18
Road Safety
South West The senior leadership team at VicRoads The desire for better links Not accepting that you’re four times
has visited every part of Victoria this between regions, safer more likely to die on country roads in
year, having frank conversations about Victoria than on metropolitan roads,
the state of the roads and what can be
overtaking opportunities we will explore a star road safety rating
done to better support regions to grow and investment in sealed system to encourage travel on the
and thrive. shoulders were commonly safest routes and target road safety
raised, along with concerns improvements.
04 26
This has been the biggest public
engagement that VicRoads has ever about poor roadside We’ll also be making a much bigger
What you told us 08
Grampians
Enhancing regional
Victoria
done in its 100 year history. Your insights
are now helping us put sensible plans
to government to support the future
drainage and pot-holes.
So what happens now?
effort to reduce our environmental
impacts, from recycling a million tyres
to re-vegetating roadsides.
growth of regional Victoria. Your feedback is shaping the most
significant period of planning, Victorians told us they want much
With the population outside Melbourne construction, maintenance and uplift greater transparency about what is
expected to double to two million of the regional road network since happening on their roads. VicRoads
people within 20 years, now is the time World War Two. Work is ramping will produce a State of the Roads
to begin the modernisation of the road up across every region: from major report to be clear about current road
network for the next generation, to highway duplications to improving conditions and better inform future
strengthen links between and around decisions by government.
30
signage, cycling paths and road safety
growing centres. treatments that will make it almost
10
And it won’t stop there. As part of
Country Roads sums up what we heard impossible to run off the road or hit Transport for Victoria’s development
Gippsland Road maintenance and saw and what is now being done another car head-on across all major of an integrated regional roads
to rebuild the regional road network to interstate highways. strategy for medium and long-
support a new era of regional prosperity. Alongside the doubling of road term improvements, your feedback
maintenance this year, planning is will be considered by the Victorian
You have told us plainly: fix the roads
underway for improvements that Government as we prepare projects
that need fixing because they are our
will set regional Victoria up for for funding consideration in the future.
lifelines; make it safer and easier for
us to move around without hurting continued growth. We will work much Thanks to everyone for their invaluable
ourselves or damaging our goods; and more closely with local regions to feedback that is informing a sensible
32
help set our regions up for tourism and understand changing traffic volumes plan of action for country roads
and regional economies, and we will
12
Hume Next steps
economic growth while giving people
better connections to job opportunities partner with Visit Victoria to develop
and each other. new tourist drives to attract more
in Victoria.
John Merritt
tourists to stay longer. Chief Executive, VicRoads
14
Loddon Mallee
Connecting our communities / 1
Where we went
Country Roads statewide engagement
Mildura
NSW
Connected with
Met with Spoke with more
more than 11,000
30 councils than 700 people
Wemen country Victorians
Engaged with freight operators, transport industry, businesses,
tourism operators, environmental and wildlife groups, cycling
enthusiasts, motorcycle groups, government agencies, the Victorian
Farmer’s Federation, RACV and Regional Development Victoria.
Swan Hill
Sea Lake
NSW
Kerang
Wodonga
Warracknabeal Charlton
Nhill
Shepparton Wangaratta
SA Dooen
Bendigo Bright
NSW
Stawell Maryborough Mansfield
Omeo
Broadford
Ararat
Woodend
Ballarat
Melbourne Metro
Hamilton
Bairnsdale
Stratford
Bannockburn
Geelong
Morwell
Warrnambool Colac
Portland Anglesea Korumburra
Community session
Port Campbell Lorne
Wonthaggi Stakeholder session
Apollo Bay Map not to scale
Roads travelled
2 / VICROADS COUNTRY ROADS Connecting our communities / 3
What you told us
Statewide feedback
feedback
Grampians Loddon Mallee Hume
• Changing face of farming with • More river crossings • Significant intermodal freight Road maintenance Regional economies
bigger machinery • Support for tourism in Charlton, opportunities You want better road maintenance Understand the changing face of
• Supporting more grain on to rail Echuca and Wedderburn • Shepparton Bypass a priority including more shoulder grading, farming with fewer and larger farms
instead of road • Alternative truck routes • Road safety a critical concern better surface repairs, more vegetation with bigger machinery on the roads
• Better connections for freight to avoid towns • More can be done to improve management and better quality long and growing export demands, including
into Melbourne • Safer cycling routes key tourism destinations term fixes. more opportunities for rail freight.
• Tourism growing through Silo • Protection of wildlife and native • Road signage is important
Art Trail, the Grampians, Sea Lake plant species • Improve roads to keep pace with Road safety Environment
• Wind farm development • Intensive farming of almonds, increased population, tourism You want sealed shoulders, smoother You expressed concern about native
• Ballarat regional growth needs carrots and other produce and industry roads, widening of narrow roads, plant species being lost and wildlife in
support has impacts • Interface with freight and growing more safe overtaking opportunities danger. We need to do more to protect
• • Better connections for freight residential areas and safer speeds around schools the environment by minimising impact
Melbourne and other regional from Mildura to Melbourne • Cycling safety along the Great and shopping areas. on trees, revegetating the road reserve
centres • More freight to be moved by rail Alpine Road and use recycled materials in road works.
Tourism
• Bypasses along Western Highway • Removing trucks from Mildura’s • New ways to inform drivers of Road safety barriers
Better support tourism by improved
• Importance of protecting town centre unique weather conditions in
signage, more rest areas, use of You want to know why so much money
roadside native vegetation • Improve roads to keep pace with Alpine region
technology to share tourist information, is being invested in them and how they
• Growing horticulture increased population, tourism • Safety around schools and main
more road safety messages and save lives.
• Tourism potential of and industry streets on country highways
upgrades to key tourism routes.
the Grampians • Choke points in Wangaratta Cycling
and Rutherglen Trucks You want more bike paths/lanes and
You want trucks out of towns and wider better road maintenance for commuter
shoulders where trucks, cars and bikes and recreational cyclists.
share the road. Strengthen bridges,
upgrade intersections, add rest areas and Connectivity
provide more overtaking opportunities Better road connections between
along key freight routes to enable bigger regional centres including Geelong,
and more productive trucks. Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton, Benalla,
Mansfield and links in Gippsland.
Gippsland
• Better north-south connections
Barwon South West • Alternative truck routes around
growing towns
• Major reconstruction of roads • Growing number of commuters
serving Port of Portland across Gippsland
• Keeping Great Ocean Road Melbourne • Longer-stay tourism potential
open for tourism Metro between Mt Baw Baw, Phillip
• Widening narrow seal roads Island, Wilson’s Promontory
used by freight, school buses and East Gippsland
and tourists •
• Multilingual signage for Phillip Island
international tourists • Growing freight task with
• Enormous residential, commuter intensive agriculture
and tourism growth • Growing demand for cycling
• Safer cycling opportunities • Dairy farms getting larger with
• More inland routes to relieve oversized equipment on roads
Great Ocean Road congestion • Sealing of gravel roads
*The VicRoads Country Roads engagement was
based on Regional Development Victoria’s five
Map not to scale Victorian Regions and nine Regional Partnerships.
4 / VICROADS COUNTRY ROADS Connecting our communities / 5
What you told us
region by region
Barwon South West
Aireys Inlet, Anglesea, Apollo Bay,
Camperdown, Colac, Geelong,
Hamilton, Lorne, Port Campbell, 17
Melbourne
Port Fairy, Portland, Torquay and 18
Warrnambool.
20
4 16
8 22
35 21
37 27 32
14 30 26 13
12 40 39
38
“Better signage is required for major
tourist destinations. Too many times
“Identify the worst roads In Victoria
based on the state of the roads
“We have school buses, 5 9 28 2
25 10
we have tourists, we
1
have there been incidences and near themselves and fix them.” 6
30 23
misses from travellers missing the turn
for Bells Beach and still attempting to
– comment on the have parents taking their 34
29 3 36
Barwon online forum
make the turn in a 100km/hr zone… children to and from 15
19
7
Signs need to be well in advance of “I am a 30-year resident of the Aire school and you combine 33
31
the turn.” Valley… I/we are sick to death of the
– comment on the annual state of the roads between it with logging trucks, it’s 24
Barwon online forum here and Colac, especially the eternally just a bad combination.” 11
potholed and surface broken Ridge Rd,
“Reduce traffic on Great Ocean Rd by Lavers Hill to Beech Forest.” – Leonie - Portland community forum
improving and sealing inland roads – Pete Gee
to Lorne and Wye River. Add slow
turn out lanes and run advertising “The Midland has twice the traffic
campaigns on their use.” between Bannockburn and Geelong What we’re doing now
– Allen as between Geelong and Colac – yet
is often seen as the poor cousin to the Major upgrades 13 Geelong-Portarlington Road 27 $3m Fyansford-Gherringhap Road,
“We recently returned from a Princes Highway West.” shoulder and barrier
1 $363m Princes Highway 14 Terang-Mortlake Road
caravanning holiday in South Australia – comment from a Bannockburn duplication, Waurn Ponds 15 Carlisle-Colac Road 28 $2m Lower Duneed Road shoulder,
and NSW … we knew when we were resident at the Ballarat forum to Colac* drainage and barrier
back in Victoria because the first thing 16 Geelong-Ballan Road
2 $109m Drysdale Bypass 29 Deans Marsh-Lorne Road,
we encountered was one of those “When roads get upgraded, VicRoads 17 Skipton Road improvements for motorcyclists
3 $100m Great Ocean Road upgrade
‘Rough Surface’ signs that Victoria are need to also create paths along major with road resurfacing, bridge 18 Rokewood-Skipton Road 30 West Geelong and Warrnambool,
famous for. We also found that there arterials so people don’t have to drive strengthening and other targeted improvements for pedestrians
are many roads in Victoria where it is everywhere and riders don’t have to improvments* Safety upgrades
really dangerous to tow a caravan.” mix with traffic.” 19 $53m for safety improvements to $18m bridge strengthening
4 $40m improvement works from
Great Ocean Road to reduce the and replacement
– Trevor Brehaut – Tony G Colac to South Australian border,
risk of landslides and make the road 31 Great Ocean Road, Wye River
safety upgrade, intersection
more resilient
improvements, more overtaking 32 Cowies Creek and rail spur,
opportunities* 20 $46m for safety improvements to North Geelong (four bridges)
41 kilometres of Geelong-Bacchus
5 $40m upgrade of narrow roads* 33 Wye River
Marsh Road, including centre line
6 $40m to strengthen and resurface safety barriers, overtaking lanes and 34 Moggs Creek
four key roads servicing the Port of new roundabouts
Portland (Green Triangle upgrade)* Planning underway
21 $17m Princes Highway, Laverton
7 $10m Forrest-Apollo Bay Road North to Waurn Ponds, safety 35 Princes Highway west, Colac to the
upgrade* barriers South Australian border
8 $10m Hamilton Highway upgrade* 22 $10m Hamilton Highway, key 36 Anglesea Road, Princes Highway
9 $1.3m for an independent taskforce freight route to western Victoria west to Coombes Road duplication
to boost tourism and improve 23 $12m Anglesea Road/Great Ocean 37 Great South Coast High
coordination Road, Bellbrae to Anglesea, new Productivity Freight Vehicle
roundabouts, centre-line widening Planning
$95m road maintenance and intersection improvements 38 Barwon Heads Road, duplication
and repair, including:
24 $4m Cape Otway, shoulder 39 Grubb Road, Ocean Grove
10 Barwon Heads Road and barrier 40 Geelong Ring Road extension
11 Otway Lighthouse Road 25 $4m Barwon Heads, roundabout (Bellarine Link)
12 Fyans Street, Geelong 26 $3m Geelong CBD, cycling and
pedestrian upgrades
*Joint Federal and State funding
6 / VICROADS COUNTRY ROADS Connecting our communities / 7
What you told us
region by region
Grampians
Ararat, Avoca, Bacchus Marsh, Ballarat,
3
8
Beaufort, Daylesford, Edenhope, 9
14
Great Western, Hopetoun, Horsham,
Kaniva, Nhill, St Arnaud, Stawell and 2
29
Warracknabeal.
7
33
11 17
27
“The Midland Highway has a lot of
commuter traffic so many school
“You get grain centres popping up
on road networks that never used
“One thing that’s come 1 36 37
38 20 12
26
28
31
up is the Silo Art Trail
13
23
zones – it needs to become a regional to be there and tourism’s obviously 15 22
25
16 5
and the number of
19 30
ring road that links Geelong, Ballarat, picked up a fair bit and now we have 6
35 34 32 4 24
Bendigo, Shepparton, Benalla and things like Silo Art Trails and Sea Lake Melbourne
Mansfield.” becoming of international interest, tourists that we have 21
10
18
- Comment at Ballarat which changes the dynamic of the coming up this way
stakeholder forum whole area.”
– Kevin Erwin, Chair of the
who aren’t familiar
“I have travelled the Western Highway
Wimmera Southern Mallee with the roads. We
many times over my life and have
always just loved the roadside
Transport Group. have farmers with large
vegetation…Roadsides have changed, “The proposed CVLX Saleyards machinery that are
which is sad for me, but we’re working
with VicRoads to make sure that
development has only one entry point
off Sunraysia Highway. There must be
on roads and people
there’ll be trees and vegetation that is safe access for heavy vehicles into/out are just not expecting
grown somewhere else.” of the saleyards.” those things.”
- Helen Lewers, environmental
advocate at the Ararat community
- Marla Stone, Miner’s Rest –
– Debra Nelson, Mayor of
What we’re doing now
online forum Safety upgrades 27 Mt Macedon-Hanging Rock Road,
forum Hindmarsh Shire Council Major upgrades 18 Western Freeway, M80 Ring Road Mt Macedon Road to Lancefield-
“VicRoads needs to focus on long 1 $670m Western Highway to Ballarat, barriers both sides Woodend Road, improvements for
“As a routine driver between Adelaide lasting results rather than temporary duplication
and Melbourne.... the state of the road 19 Pykes Creek curve, road motorcyclists
repairs.” 2 $20m Western Highway realignment 28 Mt Macedon Road, Macedon-
surface, markings and alignment is
- Wimmera Mallee 3 Western Highway, Kaniva to the 20 $12m Midland Highway upgrade Woodend Road to Mt
seriously substandard.... the lack of South Australian border
stakeholder comment from Ballarat to Creswick with Macedon-Hanging Rock Road,
bypasses is at the top of the list...” 4 $15m upgrade Halletts Way flexible safety barriers, three improvements for motorcyclists
- David Singe – online forum “Speed limits are a key concern and interchange, Bacchus Marsh* new roundabouts at Millers Rd,
Cummins Rd and Kennedys Rd, as Bridge strengthening
there are mixed views as to how to
$58m road maintenance and repair well as new overtaking lanes and 29 Maryborough-St Arnaud Road
respond. Some suggest reducing
5 Bacchus Marsh-Gisborne Road wider road shoulders. 30 Western Freeway, Pykes Creek
speed limits to increase road users’
6 Glenelg Highway 21 $46m for safety improvements to 31 Mortlake-Ararat Road
and wildlife safety. Others suggest 41 kilometres of Geelong-Bacchus
7 Pyrenees Highway
raising speed limits to increase traffic Marsh Road, including centre-line Planning underway
efficiency.” 8 Sunraysia Highway
safety barriers, overtaking lanes 32 Midland Highway, Howitt Street to
9 Wimmera Highway
- Wimmera Mallee and new roundabouts Coronet Street, Ballarat
10 Geelong-Bacchus Marsh Road 22 Ballarat CBD, cycling
stakeholder feedback 33 Midland Highway, Castlemaine to
11 Daylesford-Malmsbury Road improvements Harcourt capacity improvements
12 Ballan-Daylesford Road 23 Western Freeway/Ballarat- 34 Midland Highway, duplication
13 Bungeree Creswick Road Maryborough Road, intersection of the roundabout at Docwra St
14 Borung Highway upgrade intersection
15 Ballarat-Carnham Road 24 Gisborne Road/Western Freeway, 35 Midland Highway/Hertford Street
16 Western Highway/Freeway intersection upgrade intersection upgrade
17 Calder Highway 25 Midland Highway, Ballarat to 36 Western Highway/Ararat - Stawell
Creswick 37 Ararat Bypass*
26 Daylesford-Trentham Road, 38 Beaufort Bypass*
Lancefield to Woodend,
improvements for motorcyclists
*Joint Federal and State funding
8 / VICROADS COUNTRY ROADS Connecting our communities / 9
What you told us
region by region
33
Gippsland 14
6
Bairnsdale, Churchill, Drouin, Foster,
5
32 15 42
Melbourne 4
Inverloch, Korumburra, Lakes Entrance, 18 2
27
11
17
Leongatha, Mallacoota, Moe, Morwell, 12
19
Omeo, Orbost, Phillip Island, Sale, 30 34 24 9 1 40
35 21
28 25 20 1
26
16 38
36 37
Traralgon, Warragul and Wonthaggi. 41
7
23
8 10
31
29 39 3
“All Victorians deserve rural roads
that they can rely on. The poor road
“You can drop speed limits, you can fix
roads, it won’t change a thing. The true
“Milk trucks, quarry 43 22
condition that users experience should cause of road accidents is dangerous trucks, the amount 13
be addressed.” drivers. We will only see improvements
when people start to take care when
of heavy traffic has
- comment on Morwell forum
driving and stop making excuses.” doubled. The roads
“The road from Stratford to Maffra was - Josh Stuchbery – Facebook don’t improve, they
built probably 100 years ago, it’s just
breaking up all the time.” “I’ve been in the industry for 40 years
get worse.”
– George Haywood, Briagolong and I know what we’re on about, we’re
– John Benson - Stratford
What we’re doing now
on about the road conditions. The
community forum Major upgrades Safety upgrades 30 Moe West, new truck stop and
“We would like speed limits reduced road conditions are poor. We’ve got
1 $260m Princes Highway East 17 Paynesville Road, Bairnsdale to freeway ramp upgrades
in Omeo, improved overtaking a white line separates B-doubles, the
duplication, Traralgon East, Paynesville, centre-line widening 31 Bass Highway/Korumburra-
opportunities, better access for pulling roads aren’t wide enough.”
Nambrok and Fulham and barriers Wonthaggi Road, traffic lights*
off on the side of roads, and the drains – Rick Ingram, B-double driver, 2 $51.5m safety upgrades between 18 Princes Highway East, Sale to 32 Great Alpine Road, Licola to
must be cleaned more regularly.” Bairnsdale Sale and Bairnsdale Bairnsdale, centre-line barriers Heyfield, improvements for
- Cate Spencer, 3 $50m South Gippsland Highway 19 Maffra-Sale Road, Sale to Maffra, motorcycle riders
Omeo community forum “If we can close the distance between upgrade, Koonwarra centre-line widening 33 Omeo Highway, Bogong High
tourism attractions in Gippsland, Plains Road to Anglers Rest,
4 $50m on Princes Highway, 20 Princes Highway East, Longwarry
“We get 10 million visitors a year getting people from Phillip Island improvements for motorcyclists
Bairnsdale to New South Wales to Traralgon, barriers both sides
predominantly by car or bus and so Nature Park to Mt Baw Baw and the border
Gippsland Lakes, people won’t look at 21 Princes Highway East, Traralgon Bridge strengthening and
the road network is absolutely crucial…
5 $10.6m on two overtaking lanes to Sale replacement
Something as simple as the signage Gippsland as a one-day destination.”
at Thurra and Bellbird on Princes 22 South Gippsland Highway,
and identifying key destinations, not - Mary Aldred, CEO of the Highway 34 $8.6m on Tyers Road, Latrobe
Leongatha to Meeniyan, centre- River bridge replacement
just the next town, would allow visitors Committee for Gippsland 6 $10m on Monaro Highway line barriers
that aren’t familiar with the region to 35 Princes Highway East, Little Moe
make a more informed journey and 7 $10m on Hyland Highway 23 Bass Highway, Lang Lang to San River, Darnum
“The coast road between Cape Remo
feel comfortable about where they’re 8 $7m Phillip Island Road, 36 Princes Highway East, Morwell
Patterson and Inverloch is a major
heading.” roundabout 24 Shared bike path between Morwell River floodplain, Hernes Oak
tourist route and cycling route too.... and Traralgon
– Terry Robinson, Chief Executive This desperately needs a shoulder $46m road maintenance and repair, 37 Princes Highway East, Loy Yang-
Officer Destination Gippsland and/or bike lane.” including: Freight upgrades Morwell Road, Morwell
- D.t. poynton - online comment 9 Tyers-Thompson Valley Road 25 Princes Highway East, Lloyd Street Planning underway
“I’d love to see overtaking lanes on 10 Korumburra-Wonthaggi Road off-ramp
38 Princes Highway East
Maffra-Sale Road! The amount of “What’s most important for Gippsland’s 11 Princes Highway East 26 Princes Highway East/Bank Street, - Traralgon Bypass
idiots who can’t drive at the speed roads is connectivity to support traffic signals
12 Stratford-Maffra Road 39 Warragul and Drouin network
limit is infuriating!” tourism, which is our economic future. 27 Princes Highway East, roundabout
13 Meeniyan-Promontory Road improvements
- Alannah Wallace, Facebook So the network linkages that enable improvement
14 Great Alpine Road 40 Bass Highway - Anderson to
that to happen is going to be really 28 Princes Highway East, truck rest Leongatha (corridor planning)
critical to connect the Bass Coast area, 15 Bruthen-Nowa Nowa Road area signage
41 Princes Highway east - Sale
down through South Gippsland and 16 Hyland Highway, Traralgon 29 Bass Highway/Korumburra- alternative truck route
then out into the East.” Wonthaggi Road, intersection
signals 42 Princes Highway East network
– comment at Morwell forum. improvements (Bairnsdale)
43 South Gippsland Highway,
Korumburra
*Joint Federal and State funding, in
10 / VICROADS COUNTRY ROADS conjunction with Bass Coast Shire Council Connecting our communities / 11
What you told us
region by region
Hume - Goulburn and Ovens Murray 12
11
29
22 3 33 20
28
18
5
27
16
2 31
Benalla, Beechworth, Bright, 23 17 21
19
Corryong, Eildon, Euroa, Seymour,
8
15 1
13 28 24
Shepparton, Mansfield, Wangaratta, 32 28
Wodonga and Yarrawonga. 4
30
14
26
25
“Help people find their way! Get the
interface working between VicRoads/
“There have been 13 landslips on
Bogong High Plains Road... a lot more
“I think the roads here 10
6
Council/Parks.” seepage and subsidence than the are more than just a 9
- Shepparton stakeholder forum Great Ocean Road.” conduit to get you
- Alpine Shire Council
from A to B... they
7
“Recognise the potential to work with
councils after weather events to fix up “Northern Highway, Pyalong is are really part of our Melbourne
the roads because we can end up with receiving an ever increasing amount
a patchwork quilt.” of traffic, even more so during holiday tourism assets.”
- Wodonga stakeholder forum periods. Many drivers are frustrated
– Michelle Armstrong,
with the lack of ability to pass slow
Bright stakeholder forum
“There is growing number of people moving vehicles and are endangering
with caravans and people movers that themselves and others..... More passing
need to be better catered for – we had lanes...”
a 20% increase this Easter.”
- Mansfield stakeholder meeting - Charleen – online forum
What we’re doing now
“It’s far quicker to get from Shepparton “I think the roads here are more than
to Ballarat by going to Melbourne and just a conduit to get you from A to B. Major upgrades 11 Katamite-Yarrawonga Road, 25 Goulburn Valley Highway,
out again. The Midland Highway route The roads here are really part of our 1 $18m Great Alpine Road Yarrawonga Yea to Cathkin
from Shepparton to Ballarat is not tourism assets that link you, with most 12 Murray Valley Highway, Kotupna, 26 Goulburn Valley Highway,
2 $10m Shepparton Bypass,
good.” people coming up here want planning and pre-construction Ebden and Cobram East Molesworth to Cathkin, centre-line
to experience the natural assets and intersection upgrades to the 13 Murchison - Violet Town Road, safety barriers
- Ballarat stakeholder meeting that we have...” Ford Road, Wanganui Road and Miepoll 27 Beechworth-Wodonga Road,
“It’s really important to look at how Goulburn Valley Highway 14 Mount Buller Road, Mansfield Beechworth to Yackandandah
- Michelle Armstrong - 3 $20m Shepparton alternative 15 Wangaratta-Whitfield Road, Moyhu 28 Hume Freeway rest areas, Bentons
bikes can be accommodated because
if you come up here as a visitor and Wangaratta resident route roundabouts 16 Wangaratta Road, Bowser Hill, Reef Hills and Balmattum
you want to cycle outside of town, you and cyclist enthusiast and Wangaratta. Wahgunyah- 29 Shelley-Walwa Road, repair
$42m road maintenance and repair
also want to come into town and visit Wangaratta Road 30 Mansfield-Whitfield Road, Mansfield
Melbourne is Victoria’s capital – not 4 Hume Freeway, Wallan and Euroa
the cafes and enjoy all the other wine 17 Tatura-Undera Road, Gillieston to Whitfield, improvements for
just inner Melbourne – country people 5 $8m Kiewa Valley Highway motorcyclists
and food experiences, but you want to and Undera
need access to Melbourne too.” improvements from Wodonga
do it on your bike and you want to do to Mt Beauty* plus repairs to 18 Benalla-Tocumwal Road, Katamite Bridge strengthening
it safely.” - Bruce Robertson, Wangaratta 19 Benalla-Yarrawonga Road, Benalla
Kiewa East Road, Huon and 31 Dookie-Nalinga Road
community session Tangambalanga 20 Hume Link Highway, Wodonga
- Michelle Armstrong,
Bright stakeholder forum 6 Goulburn Valley Highway, Yea 21 Midland Highway, Stewarton and Planning underway
7 Melba Highway, Castella Benalla 32 Northern Highway Upgrade Stage 1
8 Glenrowan-Myrtleford Road, 22 Goulburn Valley Highway, Cobram, 33 A preferred project route for the
Whorouly Yarrowe and Shepparton $4 million Rutherglen alternative
truck route is now being identified
9 Whittlesea-Yea Road, Kinglake Safety upgrades with construction expected to start
West and Flowerdale 23 Midland Highway, Shepparton to in late 2018.*
10 Broadford - Flowerdale Road, Stanhope
Strath Creek 24 Hume Freeway, M80 Ring Road to
Albury/Wodonga
*Joint Federal and State funding
12 / VICROADS COUNTRY ROADS Connecting our communities / 13
23
What you told us
region by region
Loddon Mallee
30
Bendigo, Castlemaine, Echuca,
Gisborne, Kerang, Kyneton, 14
Maryborough, Mildura, Swan Hill, 4 13
Wedderburn, Wycheproof, Sea Lake, 31
Manangatang and Patchewollock. 22 1
9
30
15 6
19
17
26
5
“Our rail is far from reliable here and
we have no air service currently, so
“If a pothole of bump occurs on the
line of a road where cyclists normally
“ As the border to the 24
the road to Melbourne means a lot ride, which is usually within a metre of desert we have a lot 36 37 12
30
7 34
to everybody in town. With driverless
of opportunity for
10
the road edge, or in a bike lane, then it 2
33
cars, we’ll need to make sure that our is not safe and it needs to be fixed and 8
roads keep up with the technology so it doesn’t matter whether it fits within tourism and we just 21
16 32 11
we can get to destinations sooner and
safer.”
your maintenance standards or not.” need to make it easier 25
30
- Matthew, local business
- Margaret Douglas, Bike Safe
Macedon Ranges
for people to travel 29
27 18
30 20
here and enjoy it. So
28
director in Swan Hill
35
“It’d be great to get a ring road around
“Our group is especially pleased ... more rest stops with Melbourne
there will be a greater emphasis on 3
Bendigo to reduce congestion and get pavement rehabilitation rather than toilets and facilities to
trucks out of Bendigo, which would be
better and safer all round.”
just patching of pot-holes.” make it easy.”
- Cr Kevin Erwin, Chair of the
- Brendan Maher, from Maher’s Wimmera Southern Mallee Regional
– Ken Wakefield - Mildura
stakeholder forum
What we’re doing now
Transport in Bendigo Transport Group
Major upgrades 15 Echuca-Mooroopna Road, Wyuna 28 Mt Macedon-Hanging Rock Road,
“It’s really important in our community “There’s an issue with the crossroad 1 $280m Echuca-Moama Bridge Mt Macedon Road to Lancefield-
16 Heathcote- Kyneton Road,
just to have roads that help lift the in Manangatang and also the Sea Project Woodend Road, improvements for
Edgecombe and Redesdale
presentation of our many towns, Lake-Robinvale Road. For many motorcyclists
2 $86m Ravenswood Interchange 17 Prairie-Rochester Road,
particularly from a tourism point of years we’ve been trying to get some Project 29 Mt Macedon Road, Macedon-
Ballendella
view, as well as the local amenity. That upgrading done. The road is very Woodend Road to Mt Macedon-
3 $42m Calder Highway, M80 Ring 18 Kilmore-Lancefield Road, Hanging Rock Road, improvements
really makes people feel like they’re dangerous, especially with the amount
Road to Bendigo Lancemore Hill for motorcyclists
thought about and cared for.” of B-double trucks that are now using
the road.” 4 $23m Regional Roads upgrade 19 Lancaster-Moroopna Road, 30 Delivery of $6.6m of Australian
- Darren Fuzzard, CEO 5 Calder Highway intersection Lancaster Blackspot funding in Greater
of Mt Alexander Shire - Greg Plant, Manangatang upgrades, overtaking and centre- Bendigo, Swan Hill, Campaspe,
Victorian Farmers’ Federation line widening trial Safety upgrades Mitchell and Macedon Ranges
“97% of people come to our region 6 Murray Valley Highway 20 Melbourne-Lancefield Road,
by road, so our roads are incredibly “The main issues that we’ve had in our intersection upgrades overtaking lanes, flexible safety Bridge strengthening
important for tourism and economic area regard the typical Wimmera Wave, barriers, widening and intersection 31 Murray Valley Highway, Patho
7 Strathfieldsaye Road/Tanner Lane upgrades
growth. I hadn’t really thought about the way the road changes with the
traffic signals Planning underway
safety barriers and flexible white posts moisture and creates a real undulating 21 Pyrenees Highway
surface…it makes it hard travelling with 8 Jock Comini truck rest area 32 Kilmore Wallan Bypass - Stage 1
and lots of things that VicRoads have 22 Murray Valley Highway/Warren
introduced to improve safety. They trucks and cars along the road - you 9 Northern Hwy, Rochester to Street, roundabout 33 Hume Freeway/Wallan Whittlesea Rd
tend to bounce all over the shop. So Echuca, overtaking lanes
haven’t communicated very well, so 23 Mildura CBD, pedestrian safety and 34 Station/Saunders Road intersection
people don’t necessarily know what it’s a pretty tough fix, but something 10 Lockwood Crossing roundabout roundabout improvements upgrade
those rope barriers are for.” for the VicRoads guys to think about.” 11 Seymour-Tooborac roundabout 24 Wimmera Highway, intersection 35 Calder Park Drive, Calder Freeway
- Win Scott, Chair of Mallee - Luke Batters, resident of Guroke in 12 Napier Street, Bendigo duplication improvements 36 Marong Road Calder Highway
Regional Partnership St Arnaud district works 25 Heathcote-Kyneton Road/Ennis Improvements
Road, intersection improvements 37 Barry Street/Main Road intersection
$57m road maintenance and repair,
including: 26 Sunraysia Highway, intersection upgrade, Bendigo
13 Murray Valley Highway, Echuca improvements
and Kerang 27 Lancefield-Woodend Road,
14 Sunraysia Highway, Birchip Lancefield to Woodend,
improvements for motorcyclists
14 / VICROADS COUNTRY ROADS Connecting our communities / 15
Rebuilding
country roads
The lives and livelihoods of people in country Victoria
have changed considerably since the rural road network
was first laid down 70 years ago.
We’re travelling longer distances to Shipping containers of Victorian hay A major rebuild of the regional
work in a growing services economy, are now feeding Japan’s cows to road network is underway.
where regional tourism employs nearly quadruple milk production, while the
The important groundwork to rebuild Some of the consistent
as many people as agriculture almond produce from Mildura is eaten
– one in six. in one festive day of the year in India.
the country transport network for feedback we’ve heard is
Vegetables are now being grown under
a new era of regional prosperity around four key themes:
The numbers of people prepared to is underway.
glasshouses in Gippsland and the
commute long distances to enjoy the
Loddon Mallee that are 40 hectares The condition and maintenance of
lifestyle benefits of regional Victoria
in size. country roads was raised by many
is growing by the day, with the 2016
people throughout our engagement.
census showing a record 76,210 The increase in visitation to regional Road safety
Participants shared a need for VicRoads
Melburnians moved to regional Victoria Victoria is also impressive. Seeing
in the last five years, making it one of tourists at Lake Tyrell taking pre-
to “go beyond the reactive approach How do we save lives and
the nation’s fastest growing regions. wedding Instagram shots, and
and ‘band-aid’ solutions, such as reduce trauma?
patching or reducing speeds, to fix and
recreational vehicles parked outside the
The lure of rural lifestyles and more maintain the country roads’’. The quality
world’s tallest canvasses on the Silo Art
affordable housing in towns with good of road repairs was also raised and
Trail helped us appreciate the potential
road and rail links to Melbourne is needs to be addressed.
to support the growing international Freight
seeing significant population growth in
major regional towns in an arc around
and domestic tourism market. The Victorian Budget 2017/18 How can we make the network
Melbourne. Ballarat, Bendigo, Latrobe This is all taking place on top of an
allocates $556 million to double road fit for purpose?
maintenance investment, upgrade
Valley and Wodonga are all planning aging road base and at a pace that will
more bridges and construct new
for future populations of 200,000 or see the population outside Melbourne
bypasses.
more and Geelong is already there. double to two million people within
The changing face of farming and
20 years. There is also $49 million for upgrades Enhancing regional Victoria
to 23 major country roads including as a tourist destination, and
the scale of agriculture is staggering. Significant investment is underway
the Calder, Bass, Sunraysia and Princes
Trucks have grown in size and number, to support regional growth including
Highways, and $40 million for upgrades
a great place to live and work
carrying goods for international major highway duplications, the Murray and do business.
to 17 bridges.
markets on roads that were never Basin Rail project and passenger rail
designed to carry them – like the Port investments and safety treatments that More than 850 kilometres of
of Portland, which now has thousands will make it almost impossible to run deteriorating roads in regional Victoria
of B-doubles a day carrying exports to off the road or hit another car head on will benefit from a $260 million
the busiest timber port in the world. across all major interstate highways. But maintenance boost for repair and Road maintenance
more can and will be done. resurfacing this year alone. How do we best invest in the
Significant future investment is also 19,000 kilometres of country
planned with $25 million to develop arterials to make the whole
business cases for regional and rural network be better, safer and
projects. more productive?
However, it’s not only more investment
that’s needed. We need to better
respond to what is happening in
regional communities and industries
and align our efforts.
16 / VICROADS COUNTRY ROADS Connecting our communities / 17Road Safety
How do we save lives and reduce trauma?
Towards Zero involves the biggest effort ever to
make country roads safer and close the gap between
the number of people being killed on country roads
compared with city roads.
The deaths and trauma happening on There were also calls for more sealing What we are doing now What we will do next Lower the risk to riders with
country roads is unacceptable. People of shoulders for safety, especially for The Victorian Government’s road safety We’re about to trial an innovative a $2 million enhanced maintenance
in country Victoria are four times more cyclists and separation from trucks. A strategy, Towards Zero, involves the approach from New Zealand that has program to identify and fix small
likely to die or be seriously injured on lot of people questioned why we’re biggest effort ever to close the gap dramatically reduced fatal collisions potholes and bumps that could be
country roads than on metropolitan investing in road safety barriers – and between the number of people dying at merges between high speed rural a hazard and remove loose material
roads. we need to do a much better job of on country roads compared with city highways and low volume country on bends at some 200 recognised
explaining how these treatments work roads. More than $800 million is being roads. Electronic speed zones that motorcycle touring routes
Some of the consistent feedback
to save lives. invested in making regional roads more trigger slower speeds for merging traffic Support communities who want
we’ve heard is the need for more safe
overtaking opportunities on highways. Because they really do. In Seymour, forgiving, including extensive safety will be trialled and evaluated at three to develop their own road safety
one of the first areas along the Hume barriers and rumble strips that have locations in north-eastern Victoria. initiatives starting in Omeo,
Pedestrian and cycling safety was
been shown to save lives. Stratford, Mildura, Shepparton and
raised in many places, with the north- Highway to have safety barriers We’re also going to make it much more tourist destinations where there
east and Loddon Campaspe regions installed, State Emergency Service From every major regional road into obvious to everyone on the roads how are high numbers of international
having significant concerns with cyclists workers have already seen road Melbourne, 1,700 kilometres of wire- safe they are through the introduction drivers
mixing with traffic on fast moving single accident callouts more than halved rope safety barriers are being installed of a star-based safety assessment. A
lane highways. from 45-50 a year to 20. “The same Support local behaviour change
to make it almost impossible to have Star Rating System will be developed to
amount of accidents are still occurring campaigns to make people more
Some communities have unique a head-on crash or to run off the road demonstrate the safety benefits of new
but due to the barriers they’re not as aware of the potential dangers on
challenges in reducing the road and hit a tree. The most dangerous treatments and encourage driving to
severe and people are more likely to their local roads
trauma. Mildura and Shepparton have duplicated highways will have safety local conditions.
walk away from a crash these days,” barriers on the left and right hand sides, Reduce rough roads as part of
high numbers of overseas workers We will also :
explained Seymour SES unit controller while single lane highways will have a major uplift in regional road
who have limited experience of our Tackle the most dangerous maintenance
Christine Walsh to the Seymour more safe overtaking opportunities,
road conditions, while communities intersections right across Victoria
Telegraph. centre-line barriers and other safety Construct a new truck stop and rest
along the Great Ocean Road and from removing sharp bends, to
other international tourist destinations treatments such as wide centre-lines. area in Moe to tackle fatigue-related
installing raised platforms to prevent
want much greater effort to educate crashes on the Princes Highway.
A lot of work is underway to make the speeding through traffic lights
international drivers on keeping to the roads more forgiving for motorcyclists Make intersections safer for cyclists
left side of the road. along 11 high risk regional routes with and pedestrians including new
new rub-rail protective barriers, sealing shared paths in Geelong, Geelong
of bell-mouths (where gravel roads West, Warrnambool, Mildura,
connect with the main road) and better Ballarat, Morwell and Traralgon, and
surfaces on approaches to corners. installing a new pedestrian crossing
and the first traffic lights
By more than doubling road
in Wonthaggi
maintenance across regional Victoria
this year, many sections of rough road
will be rebuilt, including the Tyers-
Thomson Valley Road in Gippsland, the
Murray Valley Highway in Kotupna and
sections of the Sunraysia, Glenelg and
Wimmera highways.
18 / VICROADS COUNTRY ROADS Connecting our communities / 19Seeing is believing More bike
with safety friendly towns
barriers
“Road-cycling is an
increasingly popular
activity, but with that
comes some of the safety
issues and it’s absolutely
paramount to keep the
roads well maintained. It’s
a tourism product as well
as an economic product
and a transport product.”
Truck driver Brian “I’d always smile to myself and
wonder why VicRoads didn’t spend
“The steel rope got caught on the
bumper and did a fair bit of damage The growth in cycling That’s exactly what’s happening
with major bike and pedestrian
stones from the side of roads along
popular routes, like Black Forest Drive
Somers has never the money on something else as to the truck but if it hadn’t been is everywhere: from path upgrades in regional cities. in Macedon and the Cape Paterson to
had a high opinion of there was no way one of those would
stop a big truck like mine,” Brian said.
there, I would have headed straight
into oncoming traffic. And if I hadn’t
the “local lycra” in $15.5 million has been dedicated to
improve the cycling and pedestrian
Inverloch tourist drive, were raised.
wirerope safety barriers hit someone head on, it would have Halls Gap, the major connections in the CBDs of Geelong,
Michelle Armstrong, a passionate
But he has changed his view, as cyclist who moved from Sydney to
being installed on the have his colleagues at Tanner Ridge
gone straight through a fence and into
cycling tourism Warrnambool and Ballarat. A 11
Wangaratta for the mountains and
houses on the other side of the road. kilometre bike path is now under
sides and centre of Transport.
around in the north- construction to connect Latrobe
lifestyle opportunities in the north-east
highways. Late one afternoon in May, travelling “I hate to think what east and families Valley’s two largest cities, Morwell
explained at our Bright session that
roads were much more than a conduit
along the South Gippsland Highway
towards Grantville in his empty
could have happened. wanting to ride
and Traralgon with an 11 kilometre
shared path.
to get from A to B. “The roads here
Kenworth semi, Brian’s front right The barrier definitely safely around and VicRoads’ maintenance crews will be
really are part of our tourism assets,”
she said.
steer tyre blew. The 15-tonne truck
slammed into the wire rope safety
saved lives that day.” between towns. much more mindful of the impacts
As well as attracting serious mountain
of road conditions for cyclists
barrier in the centre of the road and While historically the road network riders, Michelle said many people
and motorbike riders, sweeping
slid along for 100 metres. wasn’t designed for cyclists and trucks wanted to be able to ride in to towns
approaches to curves to make roads
to share narrow sealed roads, many and visit cafes and experience the
When the truck finally stopped, Brian, more bike-friendly. A $2.2 million
people raised the need to plan ahead region’s food and wine. “You want to
who has been driving trucks for 20 enhanced maintenance package
for shared paths and safer shoulders in do it on your bike and you want to
years, couldn’t believe it. The barrier funded from the Motorcycle Levy will
future road upgrades. do it safely, so it’s important that the
had worked. make the most popular motorcycle
towns have those reassurances to
routes safer. The need to sweep
people - that yes, we’re bike friendly.
20 / VICROADS COUNTRY ROADS Connecting our communities / 21Reducing
collisions at
high speed
intersections
In the first trial of its kind in Victoria,
three high-speed intersections
in north-east Victoria will have
electronic speed signs installed.
For every 100 km stretch of high Under the pilot, speeds will be
speed, high volume road in Victoria, electronically lowered on the Murray
17 people are killed or seriously Valley and Goulburn Valley Highways
injured every year. One of the danger in Wahring, Barnawartha and Yalca
points is where high speed rural when activated by a vehicle 300
highways intersect with narrow metres away on the low volume
and low volume roads that are side roads. The speed limit on the
also high speed. main highway will drop to 80km/h
in 110km/h zones, and to 70km/h
In the first trial of its kind in Victoria,
in a 100km/h zone.
three high-speed intersections
in north-east Victoria will have The trial will be monitored and
electronic speed signs installed to evaluated after three months with
raise awareness of approaching traffic the intention of introducing to
on side-roads. other locations if successful.
By triggering a slower speed on the
highway only when an oncoming
vehicle from the side road is
approaching, safer merges should
reduce the risk of fatal collisions. A
long-term study of the New Zealand
system showed an 89% reduction in
fatal and serious injuries – a result we
aim to replicate here.
22 / VICROADS COUNTRY ROADS Connecting our communities / 23Freight access Regional freight route upgrades
How can we make the network fit for purpose?
Regional freight route upgrades
1 Bass Highway/Korumburra-Wonthaggi Rd intersection signals 9 Gisborne Rd/Western Freeway intersection upgrade
2 Shelley-Walwa Rd pavement sealing 10 Princes Highway East/Bank St traffic signals
3 Western Freeway/Ballarat-Maryborough Rd intersection upgrade 11 Barwon Heads roundabout
Victoria is growing faster than any
4 12
other state and it’s not confined to Hume Freeway rest areas - Bentons Hill, Reef Hills and Balmattum Fyansford-Gheringhap Rd shoulder and barrier
the boundaries of Melbourne. 5 Princes Highway East - LLoyd St off-ramp 13 Lower Duneed Rd shoulder, drainage and barrier
6 Princes Highway East truck rest area signage 14 Cape Otway shoulder and barrier
7 Princes Highway East roundabout improvement 15 Wimmera Highway intersection improvements
Victoria’s road network was never The challenge of maintaining the A Grain Harvest Management Scheme 8 Calder Highway wide centreline trial 16 Heathcote-Kyneton Rd/Ennis Rd intersection improvements
designed for the uses it performs condition of the aging country road is being trialled in Victoria in time for
today. Most of Victoria’s rural road network has grown over the last 20 this year’s harvest, after farmers and 17 Sunraysia Highway intersection improvements
network was built more than 70 years years, with increases in the volume of grain operators raised the difficulty
ago – beyond the average lifespan of traffic and the size of vehicles using of accurately weighing grain loads
a road – out of low-cost local roads, changing land use and growing during last year bumper harvest.
materials that is prone to wear from communities. A five percent loading concession
unplanned truck use. will be allowed this harvest to boost Mildura
One B-double truck has the same
productivity for an important part
Building a more resilient and reliable impacts on a road surface as 10,000
of the economy.
country road network is fundamental cars, so freight routes need to be
to Victoria’s future growth and strong enough to support the heavy- The Australian and Victorian
prosperity. Whether it’s getting in to a lifting of the state’s productivity. Governments are investing in projects 8
critical port, terminal or road, there are to connect the Port of Melbourne to
Before 1980, the largest vehicle on our
a lot of first and last mile challenges major freight hubs and businesses.
roads were single semi-trailers which
in freight transport logistics that we Rail’s ability to shift larger volumes of
could carry up to 40 tonnes. Today the Swan Hill
learnt firsthand. freight than trucks is being strongly
most common truck on our roads is
supported with an $8.4 billion
We spent time at the Dooen the B-double which has the capacity
investment in the Inland Rail project
Intermodal Terminal, GrainCorp’s to legally carry 68.5. The introduction
connecting Brisbane and Melbourne.
facilities in Warracknabeal, the Logic of heavier trucks has been the single
Centre in Wodonga, and toured the greatest development to the freight What we will do next Echuca
Wodonga
2
Port of Portland which is the world’s industry and helps drive our healthy Work closely with Transport for Shepparton Wangaratta
busiest forestry exporter. We also met economy, but it has also accelerated Victoria on the development
with freight operators and drivers the deterioration of our roads. of a regional freight strategy 17
4
in every region, including at the and a regional roads strategy to 15
With freight volumes forecast to grow Horsham Bendigo
East Gippsland Livestock Exchange, investigate alternative freight routes
at a rate of 1.5% a year, Victoria is
Shepparton, Korumburra, Ballarat and and inter-modal opportunities
looking for new and more efficient 16
Bendigo. Change the way we assess road
ways to move goods to market,
A common theme we heard is the through projects like the Murray Basin projects by including the wider
changing use of narrow roads, and the Rail Project and bridge strengthening economic value of roads when 3 Ballarat
challenges of freight trucks, oversized throughout the state. planning road upgrades 9
Hamilton
farming machinery, tourists and Introduce a rest area system so Melbourne Bairnsdale
cyclists all sharing the same roads. What we are doing now long-haul freight drivers can plan 6
The Victorian Budget 2017/18 includes their rest stops ahead 12Geelong
The need for alternative routes and 5 7 Sale
a significant upgrade to key freight 11 10 Traralgon
bypasses for freight was raised in Assess the capacity limits on every
routes on roads and bridges including 14 13
many places, including Traralgon, highway from Melbourne to our Portland
upgrades around the Port of Portland Warrnambool
Mildura, Bendigo and Shepparton. state borders to prioritise upgrades 1
and the Henty Highway in the Green
People understand the importance in partnership with industry.
Triangle, $10.2 million to plan and
of good freight connections, but also undertake preconstruction works
want to improve the liveability and for the first stage of the Shepparton
attractiveness of their towns. Bypass and $41 million for bridge
strengthening projects.
24 / VICROADS COUNTRY ROADS Connecting our communities / 25Enhancing regional Victoria
We want to be the number one
state to live, work and visit.
Victoria is growing faster than any Another takeaway was the optimism The Victorian Budget 2017/18 includes
other state and it’s not confined to around tourism and innovation. Instead significant tourism investments across
the boundaries of Melbourne. The of looking at roads or bridges in the state including the development
population outside Melbourne is set isolation, we are better understanding of a destination management plan
to double to two million people in the regional priorities to unlock jobs and for Gippsland, delivery of the next
next 20 years. Victoria’s regional labour local solutions. The opportunities to stage Riverfront Development in
market is one of the strongest in the better connect all parts of Gippsland Swan Hill, cycling infrastructure in
nation with regional employment to the self-driving tourism market the Ovens Murray region and tourism
growing by 2.1% in 2016. from Sydney to Melbourne was one infrastructure upgrades along the
important example. Great South Coast.
Greater Geelong, Ballarat and Greater
Bendigo between them are expected Roads clearly underpin the tourism What we will do next
to account for half of Victoria’s economy, with the Great Ocean Road Work closely with Transport for
regional growth to 2031. Smaller Victoria’s number one tourist attraction Victoria on improvements to the
towns like Drouin and Wallan are drawing seven million visitors a year. country road network, including
also growing, with the opening of Phillip Island, the Great Alpine Road, better inter-regional links.
new housing allotments having a big central Victoria and the Grampians Partner with Visit Victoria to
impact on townships designed more are among other significant iconic develop tourism drives to attract
than a century ago for much smaller tourist routes with growing numbers international and domestic tourists
populations. of international and domestic tourists. to stay longer in our regions
Regions along some of the nation’s Every area of the state is going as Map every region for its movement
busiest corridors, like Wodonga and hard as it can on attracting tourists and place value, to better protect
Shepparton, are also experiencing – local and international, so basic the heritage, environment and
significant growth that need issues about road signage and safety is attractiveness of our regions, both
the support of good transport fundamental. Whether it’s not enough as places to visit and live.
connections. signage for international drivers, or too Roll-out multilingual road signs
many confusing signs, we’ll be taking on key routes for international
One of the clear purposes of seeking
a good look at signage right across tourists including the Great Ocean
community feedback has been to
the state. Road and Phillip Island as part of a
understand the role roads can play
in growing our regions. How can we We saw the enormous growth in statewide review of road signage.
make road investments really clever in tourism from the cycling economy Reduce bottlenecks in towns during
this space? in the north-east to the walking popular holiday periods and tourism
trails being developed through the events by changing green light
Instead of planning around a simple flows on key tourist routes.
Grampians. Our conversations with
hierarchy of roads based on traffic
regional tourism authorities and Visit Partner with the inaugural High
volumes, we are digging much
Victoria have uncovered so much Country Women’s Cycling Festival
deeper to understand the economic,
potential to work together to support to promote more women to
environmental and social benefits of
a growing tourism sector, which is on enjoy the wonderland of downhill
transport investments.
track to eclipse agriculture as a major runs, cross country tracks and
The need to improve links between employer. picturesque trails
regional cities that are growing above Explore how we can better use
state average was a common theme: What we are doing now
technology to reach people who
“We need to be developing roads for We’ve been speaking with regional
rely on GPS and smartphones
regional centres rather than having all tourism bodies and operators and
for traffic information and way-
roads lead to Melbourne,” is what we Regional Partnerships to better
finding.
heard. understand the visitation economy.
26 / VICROADS COUNTRY ROADS Connecting our communities / 27You can also read
