Regional roads crisis: Premier Daniel Andrews promises to fix crumbing road network

Crumbling roads are on Premier Daniel Andrews’ radar and he promises they will be fixed in the coming year.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has promised road repairs will be a “big feature of 2023” with extra cash for urgently required works already tipped to cost billions of dollars on standby.

On a trip to north east Victoria in the final week of the election campaign, Mr Andrews said 75,000 potholes, many in regional areas caused by flooding, had been filled.

Premier Daniel Andrews says 2023 will be a big year for fixing roads. Picture: NCA NewsWire/David Crosling

But Wangaratta mayor Dean Rees said there were “thousands of potholes” in his council area alone that needed to be fixed.

“It’s just physically impossible to fill potholes presently because the ground is too wet,” he said.

“The roads will start cracking once they dry out and there will be many more potholes to do.

“We need to make sure there is plenty of future funding for roads because they’re only going to get worse.”

Wangaratta mayor Dean Rees. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Mr Andrews said the state controlled road network had crumbled due to the combination of an extended run of dry years followed by an “intense period” of wet weather in recent weeks.

“We know road repairs are going to be a big feature of 2023,” Mr Andrews said.

“We’re up to that task and we will get that done.”

His government is going to spend $165 million on flood damaged roads.

But it was revealed recently that the repair bill for local roads nationally was $17.8 billion before floods hit.

Federal Indi MP Helen Haines said the Albanese Labor government would also be required to play a part by increasing funding to local councils through Federal Assistance Grants.

Gooramadda Road near Rutherglen was cut in half by flood waters. Picture: Supplied by Indigo Shire.

“You can’t underestimate the importance of proper funding for regional roads, and this spring’s rains have left our roads disintegrating before our eyes,” she said.

“From the shocking sight of the caved in Gooramadda Road in Rutherglen, to the potholes on the Hume that blew dozens of tyres, and to every pothole in between.

“This is dangerous, and it is affecting every person who uses our roads.”

But Mr Andrews said Victoria had the “workforce to do it”.

“We’ve got the budget, but if more money is required then of course we stand ready to provide that,” he said.

“We’ve always invested strongly in regional roads, always, not just at election time with last minute promises.”

Corangamite Shire councillors Neil Trotter, Helen Durant, Ruth Gstrein, Bev MacArthur, Simon Illingworth, and (front) Jo Beard and Lesley Brown inspect MacKinnons Bridge Road.

Corangamite Shire mayor Ruth Gstrein said fixing country roads was a massive task for every level of government.

“No one is getting a break,” she said.

“We see potholes generally at the end of winter, but it’s just gone on and on.

“People are jumping up and down, but it is a very difficult job with the weather conditions we’re experiencing.”