FOUR “known crash sites” in Gippsland, including two in the Wellington Shire, will undergo improvements through the federal government’s Black Spot Program.

Recently, the government announced that more than $30 million will fund the program, so Victorians can have “a safer trip home”.

Victorian senator, Raff Ciccone said, “This significant $33.3 million investment will deliver safety improvements to 56 high-risk locations on Victorian roads which have a proven history of crashes, including four in Gippsland.”

He said the investment will “help reduce the number of crashes” on Victorian roads.

The Black Spot Program funds a range of safety measures at locations where serious crashes have occurred or are at risk of occurring.

In Sale, $1.224 million has been allocated to construct a single-lane roundabout at the Macarthur Street and Lansdowne St intersection and will include pedestrian and cycling facilities.

Wellington Shire Mayor, Ian Bye said the council is “pleased” that its funding submission was successful.

An aspect of the Black Spot Program is that local governments like the council, locals and organisations can nominate sites they believe are high-risk in their community for funding consideration.

Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Carol Brown said: “Local communities know where their most dangerous road locations are and their ability to nominate projects under this program and work with state and local experts in reviewing nominations is why this program is so successful.”

Cr Bye said: “We are ready to deliver this investment of over $1.2 million to enhance the safety of MacArthur Street and Lansdowne Street in Sale.

“The installation of a single-lane roundabout, along with pedestrian and cycling facilities has long been advocated for and will significantly improve road safety for all users in our community.

“This project, funded through the federal government’s Black Spot Program, is a critical step towards reducing accidents and ensuring safer travel for residents.”

Also within the Wellington Shire, $204,000 has been allocated to install a safety barrier and/or curve alignment signs at selected curves on Riversdale Rd in Riverslea (100 metres north of Cornwells Rd to 480 metres south of Reedys Rd). Raised reflected pavement markers along the road will be installed and slip-resistant seal on two “problematic curves” will be provisioned as well.

The RACV’s ‘My Country Road’ map identifies roads where “large concentrations of crashes causing death or serious injury in regional Victoria” are located based on fatal or serious crashes over a five-year period (between 2018 and 2023). The map identifies at least one dangerous bend on Riverslea Rd, near Reedys Rd.

Similarly, there are two identified crash sites on the ‘My Country Road’ map in Franklin St, Traralgon – one near Traralgon Creek Shared Path/Moore St where raised crossings and speed cushions will be installed.

This project has been allocated $408,000 to install the raised crossings and speed cushions on approaches and at Traralgon Creek Shared Path/Moore St. Give way signage and line marking on Post Office Place and a zebra crossing pavement marking at Kay St are also included. A further $371,000 to install kerb outstands, edgelines and lighting upgrades on Vincent Rd from Princes Drive to Savige St in Morwell has also been allocated.

Additionally, speed cushions will be replaced with new raised safety platforms; and new pedestrian facilities at the Hourigan Road roundabout. The Hourigan Rd/Vincent Rd was identified on the ‘My Country Road’ map.

In a media release, the federal government said these projects will make an “important contribution” towards reducing serious injuries and deaths for “all road users” in Gippsland.
It also said the government has “substantially increased” Black Spot Program funding, which is progressively rising from $110 million to $150 million per year.

The government said this is part of its response to the “worsening road toll” which includes doubling Roads to Recovery funding from $500 million to $1 billion a year and delivering a nationally harmonised set of high-quality and timely data to inform road safety decision making.

The Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, said although the Black Spot Program funding would help in “some problem areas, it’s tantamount to putting a band aid on a bullet hole as our roads have never been worse”.

“We need major investment which is primarily the responsibility of the State Government, but we have less roads funding than we had in 2019 and that is only ever going to end one way, which is what we are seeing,” he said.

The MP, a long-time advocate for road safety in the region, said “major investment” is needed and that the state government is responsible for delivering it.

“But we have less roads funding than we had in 2019 and that is only ever going to end one way, which is what we are seeing,” he said.

Victoria’s Transport Accident Commission currently records 146 (as of July 4) lives have been lost on the state’s roads this year, with 82 lost in rural Victoria.

The RACV said that in 2023 road deaths rose almost 30 per cent compared to the previous year.

In 2021, the organisation released its ‘My Country Road’ survey, which identified 31 regional roads as having serious safety issues. That year, the report found the Princes Highway from Stratford to Bairnsdale had the most responses from the 4000 people who made submissions.

The RACV’s latest ‘My Country Road’ survey closed on May 14 and results will be shared with “all levels of government” RACV General Manager Automotive Services, Jackie Pedersen said in a media release in March.

“This Federal funding provides work in four areas right across the massive Gippsland region, but until we get real investment in our roads and have our roads built to a better standard, we will continue to more ‘traffic hazard ahead’ signs, speed limit reductions and dangerous conditions,” Mr Bull said.

Assistant Minister Brown is urging people to nominate roads for the next round of funding.

“With the recent announcement of our increased commitment to this long-running program, I strongly encourage individuals, organisations and local governments to nominate sites in their local communities for consideration in the next round of funding,” Ms Brown said.

For more information on the Australian Government’s Black Spot Program, to nominate a black spot and for the full list of Victorian recipients visit: https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/about/local-initiatives/black-spot-program