Goulburn Valley Highway Gets Road Safety Upgrade

06 Apr 2016

The Andrews Labor Government is investing $18.5 million to upgrade the Goulburn Valley Highway between Molesworth and Yea to help save regional motorists lives on one of Victoria's most notorious sections of road.

Minister for Roads and Road Safety Luke Donnellan visited Yea today to make the announcement, which will see wire rope barriers installed down the centre of a 10-kilometre section of the Goulburn Valley Highway.

Tragically, this 10-kilometre section of the Goulburn Valley Highway has claimed the lives of eight Victorians and seriously injured 13 over the past five years.

Five of these deaths occurred between October 2014 and March 2015, with the majority of crashes as result of vehicles drifting onto the wrong side of the road, or running off the road.

Mr Donnellan said this upgrade would prevent head-on crashes or vehicles running off the road to the right.

"The installation of a centreline wire rope safety barrier from the highway church entrance at Molesworth and Limestone Road, Yea, would stop vehicles crossing into oncoming traffic.

"This will provide added protection for motorists from death or serious injury when a mistake is made," Mr Donnellan said.

The local Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes said there had been a number of tragic accidents on this stretch of road.

"That's why we're investing in innovative ways to make regional roads safer for everyone," Mrs Symes said.

The upgrade will also include additional safety measures:

• Approximately 20 openings in the barrier to cater for property access and emergency services
• Provision of additional overtaking opportunities
• Safe local access to properties
• A left-hand side barrier at high risk locations to protect motorists from trees and steep drop-offs
• Both the centreline and left-hand barriers will be installed with motorcycle friendly treatments in higher risk areas
• Variable message signage
• A new crossing across the Native Dog Creek on the old highway alignment.

The speed limit was reduced to 80km/h in April last year due to a high number of crashes. Once the project is completed the speed limit will be returned to 100 km/h on this important Victorian highway.

Centre-line wire rope safety barriers are an important component to road trauma reduction and has been successfully implemented on the nearby Melba Highway, and many rural highways across the country.

Work on the first two-kilometre section of the project is due to start in mid-April. This is being funded as part of the Transport Accident Commission's $1 billion Safe System Road Infrastructure Program.

The centre-line barrier is designed to prevent head-on crashes or vehicles running off the road to the right

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