Regional Roads Victoria director (Hume) Steve Bowmaker said a program of larger-scale repairs would target those roads most affected by the floods, along with some of the region’s busiest and most important freight and travel routes.
“Our immediate response has focused on delivering short-term emergency repairs to get roads reopened as soon as possible — now we’re turning our attention towards the first stage of longer-term, larger-scale repairs,” Mr Bowmaker said.
“Anyone who’s seen the damage inflicted on our roads first-hand knows that we have a lengthy recovery program ahead of us, and this is just the first step in that process.”
The $45 million program of works includes $8.6 million worth of work on the Hume Fwy, $8.4 million of repairs to the Goulburn Valley Fwy and $2 million of work on sections of Beechworth-Wodonga Rd.
Other roads set to undergo repairs across the region include the Midland, Melba and Murray Valley highways.
“This first package of works is about repairing those roads that are unsafe in the wake of floods and keeping communities connected to vital supplies and services,” Mr Bowmaker said.
Works to be delivered under this first package include major rebuilding and rehabilitation works, asphalt patching, structural repairs, clearing and fixing damaged roadside drains and culverts, stabilising landslips and clearing roadside debris.
Some of these repair works are already under way, while others will begin once warmer, drier weather provides more suitable conditions for rebuilding works.
The works are part of an $89.8 million statewide program, which will repair and restore roads right across regional Victoria.
Since October 13, a team of more than 500 workers deployed across the state have assessed more than 4000 roads, patched more than 92,500 potholes and assessed 1170 bridges.
