SOME of south-west Victoria’s most badly flood-damaged roads will undergo major rebuilding and repair works over the coming weeks as Regional Roads Victoria enters the next phase of a massive flood recovery program.
Barwon South West regional director, Michael Tudball, said a program of larger-scale repairs will 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 re-opened as soon as possible – now we’re turning our attention towards the first stage of longer-term, larger-scale repairs,” he said.
“Anyone who’s seen the damage inflicted on our roads knows that we have a lengthy recovery program ahead of us, and this is just the first step in that process.”
The $19.4 million program of works includes repairs to the Princes Highway West in various locations, Portland-Casterton Road, Hamilton Highway in various locations, Glenelg Highway in various locations, and Portland-Nelson Road in various locations.
Other works will include landslip stabilisation and repair works at multiple locations along the Great Ocean Road.
“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 Tudball said.
Works to be delivered under this first package include major rebuilding and rehabilitation works, asphalt patching, repairing bridges, clearing, and fixing damaged roadside drains and culverts, stabilising landslips and clearing roadside debris.
Some of these repair works are already underway, while others will begin once warmer, drier weather provides more suitable conditions for rebuilding works.
With more than 525 roads still closed across the state, crews will also continue to carry out daily inspections and deliver emergency repair works.
Since October 13, a team of more than 500 workers deployed across the state have patched more than 79,260 potholes and re-opened more than 860 flood-affected roads.
