What are your thoughts on the planned road repairs? Are they enough?

THE Department of Transport was contacted regarding the condition of the roads in Murrindindi Shire, and the feeder roads to the shire, including major highways.

It has appeared to many that when there are concerns about the roads, the only action taken is to reduce the speed limit or to put a sign in place near the damaged road area.

Asked whether any work will be done to fix these damaged roads, Steve Bowmaker, Regional Director (Hume), Department of Transport, said, “We’re undertaking a significant maintenance program to make roads safer across the Murrindindi Shire, including an upcoming two kilometre asphalt resurface of the Maroondah Highway near Narbethong.

“Over the coming months, we will continue to improve the Melba and Maroondah Highways by completing several culvert replacements, pothole patching, drainage, along with continuing our regular inspections.”

The works on resurfacing the Maroondah Highway will begin in the coming months, and the Department of Transport will keep the community informed closer to works beginning.

In the next six weeks, they will target Whittlesea-Kinglake Rd near Kinglake by resealing about two kilometres of the road.

Works are also underway to complete significant pavement repairs on the Melba Highway near Hunts Lane in Dixons Creek, which will fix the deterioration of the road surface, including potholes.
Asphalt resurfacing works at the Melba Highway roundabout are also scheduled to take place next month at the Yarra Glen bypass, weather permitting.

These works are in addition to maintenance works which took place across four sections of the Melba Highway over the past five years between Yering and Castella.

As part of the annual road resurfacing program, works are scheduled to take place next month to resurface part of the Maroondah Highway near St Huberts Road in Coldstream, a road used by some Murrindindi residents when on the way to Melbourne.

Road surface retexturing is also scheduled to take place on Heidelberg-Kinglake Road between Bambara Road and Cottlesbridge-Strathewen Road in Cottlesbridge to improve safety over this section of road.

The Department of Transport continuously monitors speed limits across the road network, along with local councils, to ensure set limits are appropriate while also assessing whether future improvements may be needed.

Speed limit reviews take into account factors including types of road users, the surrounding road environment, crash risk and history, council recommendation, community sentiment and traffic volume to ensure set speed limits are appropriate.

At times, crews may need to temporarily reduce speed limits until essential works can be completed, this can be frustrating for drivers but is necessary to ensure safety.