ONE GIPPSLAND SEEKS GOVERNMENT BACKING FOR FOUR KEY ROAD PROJECTS
One Gippsland will step up efforts to secure government support for four key roads projects to boost safety, cut congestion and maximise freight efficiency.
One Gippsland spokesperson Cr Scott Rossetti said the organisation had a list of priority projects needing government funding.
“The duplication of the Princes Highway between Traralgon and Sale is a landmark project and construction work is wrapping up after around 14 years,” Cr Rossetti said.
“The duplication will deliver for Gippsland in terms of transport safety and efficiency. Now it’s time to get work started on the next wave of projects needed to build on those gains,” Cr Rossetti said.
Each year, 163 tonnes of freight travels through the national transport network for every Australian.[1] From 2020 to 2050, that volume is expected to increase by 26 per cent and road freight is forecast to rise by 77 per cent.[2]
“Our growing industries, including food and fibre production and renewable energy generation, will increase pressure on the local freight network. We need to continue to invest in road infrastructure that will handle the increasing movement of goods around and through our region,” Cr Rossetti said.
One Gippsland has identified four road projects key to improving safety and efficiencies across the region’s freight network. They are:
● San Remo Road Infrastructure Improvements - $28 million
● Sale Alternate Truck Route - $60 million
● Leongatha Heavy Vehicle Alternate Route Stage 2 - $1.5 million (planning and design)
● Drouin and Warragul Arterial Road Network - $3 million (planning)
Cr Rossetti said heavy vehicles needed to be re-routed around several Gippsland towns and infrastructure improvements were required to deal with growing populations.
“Bypasses and heavy vehicle routes will divert trucks away from pedestrian areas and the commercial heart of numerous towns, which keeps people safer and our streets more attractive, while allowing freight to reach its destination more safely, with fewer delays and at lower cost,” Cr Rossetti said.
“There are also parts of our region which are growing rapidly and upgrades are needed urgently to deal with the increased activity on roads that are heavily bottlenecked,” Cr Rossetti said.
“The future economic success of our existing industries and many new ones relies on the strength of the supply chains that connect Gippsland to distribution centres and to air and seaports,” Cr Rossetti said.
“We want produce and other goods to travel from Gippsland along the safest, most direct route with easy connections to ports, including those in Melbourne, Hastings and Barry Beach, as well as airports in Melbourne and Avalon,” Cr Rossetti said.
One Gippsland will advocate for these projects for funding consideration by the Victorian and Federal Governments as part of its budgetary process for the 2025-26 financial year.
[1] https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/sites/default/files/migrated/transport/freight/files/Delivering-on-Freight.pdf
[2] https://www.bitre.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/bitre_rr154_summary_report.pdf