East Gippsland roads projects funded
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East Gippsland roads projects funded

East Gippsland can look forward to some significant road upgrades following the announcement today that an agreement has been reached on the reallocation of the Federal Government’s $1.5 billion contribution to East-West Link (that is now not being built).

State Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, paid tribute to his Federal colleague, Darren Chester in ensuring that a large slice of this ($690m) will now be spent in country Victoria.

“All up we can anticipate more than $120 million of this being spent in Gippsland with several projects in the east of the state.

“As a result of Darren’s insistence that some of this money is reallocated to the country we have seen the Federal Government earmark road projects we have been discussing for some time, including:

• $50 million for Princes Highway East, between Sale and the NSW border;

• $10 million Great Alpine Road (Bruthen to Mt Hotham section); and,

• $10 million for Monaro Highway, Cann River to NSW border.

“The State Government now needs to reinstate the hundreds of millions in recurrent funds for country roads it cut on coming to office.

“This includes the complete removal of the $160 million country roads and bridges program and major reductions in the Road Asset Management Budget and the Road Operation and Network Improvement Budget,” Mr Bull said.

Mr Chester said the package would create jobs and make rural and regional roads safer.

“We are going to see infrastructure investment across Gippsland that is going to change lives and save lives,” Mr Chester said.

“At a time when you are four times more likely to die on a rural and regional road, we need to do more to work with our Victorian counterparts to reduce deaths and serious injuries.”

Tuesday, November 15, 2016