A SUITE of major rural roads in the Wimmera will be upgraded after the state government announced new funding.
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Under round two of the government's Fixing Country Roads Program, Horsham Rural City Council will received almost $1.2 million for safety and intersection upgrades in the region.
Works will include providing gravel to Emmersons Road, widening Wail Kalkee Road, widening and rehabilitating Green Lake Road at Bungalally, and widening Drung Jung Road.
A new T-intersection will also be constructed at the junction of Longerenong Road and Field Days Road.
Horsham mayor Mark Radford said the funding was really good news for the region and would make a lot of people very happy.
"The list of roads that need upgraded is longer than what we can afford to do," he said.
"These are great projects, particularly the Wail Kalkee Road - that upgrade will be appreciated by the people who live there and use that road regularly."
A state government report said the Wail Kalkee Road was a key link for heavy vehicle traffic from the Western Highway through to the Wimmera Intermodal Freight Terminal.
"This route also provides a key connection for many grain farmers in the area to the grain terminal immediately west of Dimboola," the report stated.
"Due to the current width of the road there is no centre line or delineation on this section of road.
"This will be rectified with the road widening project."
In 2016, VicRoads did strengthening works to the Western Highway bridge over the railway line at Wail.
"However, during this period of time a much greater proportion of truck traffic accessed the Wail Dooen Road to connect to freight terminal and other locations," the report stated.
"Anecdotally, this has remained the route of preference for much of this traffic.
"As a result, the Wail Kalkee Road experiences a greater proportion of heavy vehicle traffic than would normally be expected for a rural road of this type."
Cr Radford said regional councils were always looking for more road funding.
"That is the point of difference between us and the city councils - we are responsible for such a large road network and large percentage of those roads are not bitumen," he said.
"Everything we visit different parts of the municipality, the one question everyone wants to know if when will council fix this road or that road."
Cr Radford said the intersection upgrade at Longerenong and Field Days roads was needed.
At the moment, Field Days Road veers off from Longerenong Road.
The state government report states that on average 838 vehicles use Longerenong Road each day during the Wimmera Machinery Field Days.
"Intersections like that are not safe, especially when driving at night," Cr Radford said.
"This safety upgrade makes sense."
Roads will also be upgraded in other Wimmera municipalities as part of the program.
Hindmarsh Shire Council will receive $1.5 million to widen Rainbow-Nhill Road.
The state government report stated the upgrade would provide a shorter alternative transport route for trucks between Rainbow and Yaapeet to Nhill.
It will also improve access to the rail network at Rainbow and Dimboola and access to gypsum pits in the area.
Hindmarsh mayor Ron Ismay said the works would improve the safety of a key link road in the shire.
West Wimmera Shire will receive $1.4 million for the reconstruction and widening of Ozenkadnook Mortat Road and Kadnook Connewirricoo Road, and pavement reconstruction at Leeor Road.
Yarriambiack Shire will receive $1.5 million for the rehabilitation of Banyena-Pimpinio Road, Beyal Road, Burrum North Road, Hopetoun Yaapeet Road, Lah West Road, and Yaapeet Kenmare Road.
All projects will be completed by June 30, 2020.
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