- Minister for Roads and Road Safety
The Victorian Government is helping communities in Eastern Victoria recover from bushfires and the economic impacts of coronavirus (COVID) with new funding to support bushfire recovery on arterial roads.
Minister for Roads and Road Safety Ben Carroll said a $22.8 million state-wide investment from the Building Works package was helping regional towns recover and rebuild their local economies following a devastating summer of bushfires.
Works include repairing and replacing damaged roads, bridges and culverts, signs, barriers and guide posts, as well as landslide clean-up. Roads being targeted across East Gippsland under the program include Mallacoota Road, Bonang Road, the Monaro Highway and the Princes Highway.
Significant bushfire recovery works have already been undertaken with all of East Gippsland’s 400 kilometres of bushfire impacted arterial roads reopened, more than 700 road signs repaired or replaced and 12,600 guideposts replaced.
This funding forms part of the Victorian Government’s $328.4 million investment in critical transport maintenance, with fast-tracked upgrades set to create or support more than 600 jobs.
All works will be completed within the next six months and will comply with the local jobs first policy, ensuring communities hit hardest by the impacts of the coronavirus will benefit.
The Victorian government is investing more than $1.5 billion in economic stimulus across Victoria as part of its unprecedented economic response to the coronavirus crisis.
As stated by Minister for Roads and Road Safety Ben Carroll
“We’ve made this significant investment so bushfire restoration works can continue on 13 key roads in East Gippsland, allowing communities to recover and the freight and tourism industries to thrive.”
“These bushfire recovery works will not only make our roads safer but will also help get Victorians back to work.”
As stated by Minister for Police and Emergency Services Lisa Neville
“We’re helping fire-affected families across East Gippsland get back on their feet – this funding is another way we can keep Victorians in work and get these key roads open.”
As stated by Member for Eastern Victoria Jane Garrett
“I know recovery is a long journey for our communities – but we’re making sure our local roads reopen and are keeping Victorians in work as we do it.”
