A $7 million project to seal a seven-kilometre stretch of Benalla-Whitfield Road through Myrrhee may happen only if funding is provided to the council through an election promise.
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This week's Wangaratta Council meeting was held at Myrrhee and residents were prepared to push for the project, with posters on the walls of the hall and multiple questions prepared for councillors.
Whitlands Community Planning Group convener Jenny Ashby asked for a timeframe, saying it was "the last remaining link road to be sealed in the local government area of Wangaratta".
Mayor Dean Rees said sealing the 100km/h road was a top priority and council officers were in the process of doing the detailed design.
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"Given the cost, it is unlikely council would fund these works directly and will start looking for external funding once these designs are complete," he said.
"We'll try to catch up with Jaala Pulford, the Minister for Roads, and see what we can do."
Infrastructure services director Alan Clark said the council had been beaten to government funding for Benalla-Whitfield Road by areas with higher populations, but said in his experience, money for roads was often promised before elections.
"The best way we can get the road sealed is to really advocate with our state and federal members and try to get an electoral promise made," he said.
"I'd encourage everyone in the Whitlands group and everyone else to take every chance to advocate for the project ... Please keep talking about it, and we'll do the same, and hope we can get it."