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Roads | November 03, 2022

Kealy commits to Western Highway duplication through to Stawell

The Liberal Nationals in government will provide the $90 million in state government funding required to complete the duplication of the Western Highway between Burrumbeet and Stawell.

In making the announcement, Member for Lowan and Deputy Leader of The Nationals Emma Kealy advised that construction of the Ararat to Stawell section would commence in mid-2024 and be completed by the end of 2025.

The Western Highway is the major road link between Melbourne and Adelaide, with more than 6000 vehicles – including 1500 trucks – travelling on the highway each day. That number is expected to double in the next three years.

“The previous federal Liberal Nationals Government committed the $360 million required in Commonwealth funding to complete this project, and I am proud to announce that an elected Victorian Liberal Nationals Government will provide the required $90 million in state government to finally bring this project to fruition,” Ms Kealy said.

“Duplication of the Western Highway commenced in 2013 and was supposed to be finished by 2016, but almost 10 years later we have only 55 kilometres of the 103-km section of highway duplicated, with no work occurring for the past three years.

“During this period there have been 163 crashes on this section of the highway, including 18 fatalities and 90 people seriously injured.

“The Minister for Roads has had every opportunity to intervene in the past three years and provide the funding required to get this project moving, but has done nothing.

“In the meantime, the condition of the existing highway has become increasingly dire, with many sections littered with potholes, and permanent speed reductions in place in some areas because the surface is so dangerous. Recent significant rainfall has only sped up the deterioration.

“I am proud to be a part of a Liberal Nationals team that is committed to getting this vital and urgently-needed project back on track and completed by the end of 2025 to save country lives.”