Roads across the Macedon Ranges are in a “poor and dangerous condition”, and must be put on a state government funding priority list, a Liberal MP has said.
Northern Victoria MP Wendy Lovell is calling on the government and VicRoads to make road upgrades a priority across the Ranges after receiving complaints from many residents over recent weeks.
Ms Lovell says sections of the Calder Freeway are most dangerous, while she also has concerns about motorists’ safety on the Bacchus Marsh-Gisborne Road, beyond Bullengarook, and sections of the Daylesford-Malmsbury Road near Malmsbury.
She said these roads are dangerous to users and are causing significant damage to vehicles, at significant cost to owners.
VicRoads regional director Mal Kersting said the busier roads in the Macedon Ranges are showing signs of wear as a result of a significant increase in traffic over the past decade.
He said high winter and spring rainfalls had compounded the problem this year.
“[This has] resulted in a significant increase in potholes and deteriorating road surfaces … including along sections of the Calder Freeway, the Daylesford-Malmsbury Road and the Bacchus Marsh Gisborne Road,” he said.
“The recent drier conditions have seen most of these being repaired, however there are areas where repairs are ongoing. The majority will be completed in the coming weeks, while some major patching works along the Bacchus Marsh-Gisborne Roads are programmed over the next two-three months.”
Mr Kersting said VicRoads often receives requests for road repairs and general improvement and carries out regular maintenance and road hazard inspections in the region, including on the Calder Freeway and other major roads, every two-three weeks.
He said during January, VicRoads will begin a resealing program targeting sections of the Calder Freeway, the Melbourne-Lancefield Road and the Lancefield-Woodend Road.
