Hindmarsh Mayor and Rural Councils Victoria chair Rob Gersch said the funding would help to offset some of the damage done to council budgets by the freeze on indexation of Financial Assistance Grants.

"We in the smaller councils are very pleased with the government's result in getting this through parliament," he said.

"It means a lot to us with the Financial Assistance Grants cutbacks.

West Wimmera Mayor Ron Hawkins said the money was critical for the shire's roads.

"They're talking about doubling it and that would make up for some of the freezing of the Financial Assistance Grants," he said.

Cr Hawkins said Roads to Recovery funding was especially important in West Wimmera because of the size of the shire. Despite having bipartisan support, the passage of the funding had been in doubt after the government claimed Labor and the Greens had been stalling the legislation.

The Opposition had criticised Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss for not introducing legislation to the senate earlier. Cr Hawkins said the uncertainty about whether the funding legislation would pass the senate was disappointing.

"We expect more of the democratic system," he said.

Cr Gersch said the disproportionate influence of the senate cross bench was frustrating when the needs of rural councils were at risk.

"It's a very sad state with federal politics being governed by people who are very much in power because of the make-up of the senate and the government put in power isn't getting to do what it intends," he said.

Horsham Mayor David Grimble said council always expected the legislation would pass the senate.

Cr Grimble said he had spoken to State Transport Minister Terry Mulder about the cost burden caused by low-quality quarry products on council road projects.

"There's a lack of quality quarry products in the region and the State Government has identified that it's a concern for them as well," he said.

Cr Grimble said transporting quarry products took a toll on Wimmera roads and getting quarry products brought to the region was costly.

He said the cost should be factored into roads funding for Horsham and other Wimmera councils.