The Nationals Member for Gippsland Darren Chester is lobbying his Federal Government colleagues to allocate funding in next week’s Federal Budget to complete the duplication of the Princes Highway between Traralgon and Sale.
While $260 million has been spent, Mr Chester said he had been working closely with Infrastructure and Transport Minister Michael McCormack to ensure the work on the duplication project did not stall once the current stages were finished.
The first nine sections of the duplication project are funded with $210 million from the Australian Government and $50 million from the Victorian Government.
“Since taking over the transport portfolio, Michael has spoken to me about the importance of the Princes Highway project and he is determined to finish the job,” Mr Chester said.
“Securing the money needed to finish the duplication of the Princes Highway between Traralgon and Sale is my highest priority for Gippsland this year.
“It was disappointing the Victorian Labor Government failed to back this important infrastructure project in its budget announced on Tuesday, but I am doing everything I can to see that this project has the funding it needs to be finished.”
Work on seven sections of the duplication project is complete and work on two sections is still underway. Construction of the final two unfunded sections is expected to cost $165 million.
“Construction on a 3.9 kilometre section of the highway east of Traralgon between Minniedale Road and east of Sheepwash Creek Road is due to be finished at the start of 2019,” Mr Chester said. “Construction on the 3.4 kilometre section at Nambrok to the east of Rosedale-Maffra Road is scheduled to be completed at the end of this year.
“With construction work coming to an end on these two sections, we need to secure funding for the construction of the final two stages: a four-kilometre section at Flynn and an eight-kilometre section at Kilmany. Preparatory work, such as tender development and design work and field investigations, on these final two sections is now being undertaken by VicRoads staff.
“We all want this important project to be completed as soon as possible, so allocating money to these projects in next week’s Federal Budget will enable the construction work to begin without any funding delays.
“Everyone who travels along the Princes Highway between Traralgon and Sale has shown an enormous amount of patience during this long period of construction. I think we are all looking forward to the time when the full 42 kilometres of highway between Traralgon and Sale are duplicated and provide a better, safer highway.”
