The top decision-makers at VicRoads will be in the North East over the next two days to talk to councils and other groups about what needs to happen to make the region’s roads safer.
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Starting in Bright on Thursday morning and driving to Wangaratta in the evening will allow VicRoads chief executive John Merritt and his management team to experience the Great Alpine Road first hand.
The road from Wangaratta to Bairnsdale has experienced 149 casualty crashes over the past five years, including eight fatalities and 64 serious injury crashes.
It was allocated $4 million for upgrades in the federal budget.
But the VicRoads officials also wanted to hear from communities across the North East about their other frustrations.
“We want the people who live, work, visit and best understand regional and rural Victoria to share their knowledge and experience of road safety, road maintenance, freight and tourism with us,” Mr Merritt said.
“We’re out talking to as many people as we can about making living in country Victoria even better and safer.”
The Victorian budget for 2017/18 included $260.3 million for maintenance on regional roads, but the money had not been allocated to specific projects.
A drop-in session at Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre from 5.30pm to 7.30pm will give residents a chance to state their case for road improvements.
Councillors and staff from Wodonga Council will also meet with VicRoads management on Friday, but said there were no specific requests to raise.
Ideas already posted on the VicRoads website included lowering the Hume Freeway speed around Albury-Wodonga.
“The Albury-Wodonga bypass needs to be looked at to improve safety. It shouldn't be 110km/h, needs add-lanes and drop lanes on Victorian section between key intersections. Very high volumes use this section each day,” one person said.
The Wangaratta meeting was one of six around the state expected to hear residents' beliefs that Melbourne gets the bulk of roads funding and concerns about road maintenance, the need for a safe road network and the fact public transport is limited in regional areas.
Mr Merritt said important topics to discuss ranged from reducing deaths on country roads to supporting the growing agricultural, cycling and tourism economies.
“Travelling on these roads will give us a first-hand insight into the current conditions and helps us to better understand the priority areas for attention,” he said.
To submit an idea for VicRoads to consider, visit engage.vicroads.vic.gov.au/countryroads.