Work has started on an upgrade to Victoria’s Western Highway to improve safety and freight efficiency
June 15, 2012
Work has started on an upgrade to Victoria’s Western Highway to improve safety and freight efficiency.
The duplication of the highway between Ballarat and Stawell is being completed in three stages, with the first section running from Ballarat to Beaufort.
The second phase is upgrading Beaufort to Ararat, with the third piece of the project upgrading the road between Ararat and Stawell.
“Today we’ve kicked off works on the 23.5km Burrumbeet to Trawalla sub-project, the second phase of works on the Ballarat to Beaufort section, so it’s great to see progress on such an important project,” Victorian Roads Minister Terry Mulder says.
“The 8km section near Ballarat will be completed later this year, while the 3km section east of Beaufort is now partially open with road sealing in the final stages.”
Mulder says the highway is an important freight route.
“With freight comprising nearly 30 percent of traffic on this section of the highway, these improvements together with the 23.5km stretch starting today will make the journey from Ballarat to Beaufort safer for all drivers and for visitors to the region.”
Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and Transport Catherine King says a key feature of the project will be reconnecting Ballarat’s Avenue of Honour with an overpass of the thoroughfare near Burrumbeet.
The Federal Government has contributed $404 million to the project, with $101 million coming from Victoria.
