Victoria has launched a $976 million “better roads blitz” to repair and restore damaged roads across the state, though critics warn it may be a short-term fix.
According to the Australian Road Assessment Program, 61 per cent of Victoria’s roads fail to meet safety standards, posing a heightened risk of accidents.
The nine-month program will prioritize regional routes, with 70 per cent of funding directed outside Melbourne. Key highways including the Hume, Calder, Princes, and Western will undergo resurfacing and repairs. In Melbourne, works will cover Leakes, Normanby, and Boronia Roads, as well as the Warburton Highway and Mornington Peninsula Freeway.
Roads Minister Melissa Horne said the blitz would also include vegetation removal, graffiti clean-up, and bridge inspections, with flexibility to adjust based on periodic condition reports.
Despite the large investment, concerns remain. Truck driver Owen Chivell argued that patch repairs will quickly fail, calling the initiative a “bandaid approach” and urging authorities to address the deeper structural issues in Victoria’s roads.
