Summer blitz to kick off 224km of road upgrades, as VicRoads warn drivers of disruptions

A massive program of roadworks is set to cause headaches through summer, with parts of the Nepean and Princes Highways and key suburban routes affected.

A new website has been launched to map a massive road maintenance blitz with summer works set to cause headaches.

More than 224 kilometres of suburban roads will be repaired over the next year, as part of a record $183 million blitz.

It will include upgrades to sections of the Princes Highway, Nepean Highway and Hume

Freeway, as well as key arterials like Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Rd, Centre Dandenong Rd and the South Gippsland Highway.

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Fresh from the state election, new Roads Minister Jaala Pulford today launched the website and summer works program.

Roads Minister Jaala Pulford is warning drivers about disruptions. Picture: AAP/Julian Smith

“We know how important it is for people to be able to spend less time in the car and more time doing the things they love with the people they love,” Ms Pulford said.

“There are good economic reasons, good quality-of-life reasons and good road safety reasons for this record investment in road maintenance.

“But one of the things that’s really frustrating for people is not knowing where investment is happening, not knowing if there is a project at the end of their street or at the school when they drop off their kids.”

Green light for Melbourne's biggest road maintenance blitz.
$183 million, 200 roads stretching over 224km.
Check out our new interactive map to see what's happening in your area: https://t.co/AJwaQur8OS pic.twitter.com/C7nAnsDTWl

— VicRoads (@VicRoads) December 4, 2018

In a bid to minimise road rage and help drivers avoid disruptions, VicRoads launched a website that maps the “maintenance works”.

It lists the upgrades as asphalt resurfacing, sprayseal resurfacing or pavement rehabilitation, and explains why each are needed.

Much of the work will be carried out over summer, with October to April the prime time for road construction.

Drivers can expect delays on suburban roads. Picture: News Corp

VicRoads deputy chief executive Robyn Seymour said the maintenance had been prioritised to target roads most in need of an upgrade.

“We have people out on the network every day — freeways are monitored twice a day, our arterial roads twice a week,” she said.

“We are looking at condition, we are adjusting our program to ensure that we can deliver our maintenance program where it is most needed.

“There is going to be quite a lot of disruption across the Melbourne area over the next 12 months.”

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@moniquehore

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