Work will finally start on upgrading a dangerous intersection in Traralgon after years of lobbying and frustration by local residents.
Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester said State and Federal funding had been secured to upgrade the Bank Street intersection with work to commence by the middle of 2022.
“This is a huge win for local residents that we are finally going to see work on the ground to improve safety at this intersection which has become extremely difficult to negotiate for local motorists,” Mr Chester said.
“The Federal Government allocated an additional $300 million to Princes Highway improvements in 2019 and I have been frustrated by the long delays in getting work started.
“I’ve written to the State and Federal Ministers and encouraged them to reach agreement on more projects in the interests of road safety. The Federal Government is providing 80% of the funding for these upgrades and we need to get the jobs started as soon as possible.”
The Nationals Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Melina Bath has repeatedly raised concerns about the Bank Street intersection in state parliament and has welcomed the funding agreement.
“This project is long overdue, and I congratulate my Nationals federal colleague Darren Chester for stepping in to secure the majority of funding for our community after the Andrews Government failed to do so,” Ms Bath said.
“The community have been seeking vital safety upgrades on the notorious Bank Street Princes Highway intersection for far too long.
“I understand that work will start in the middle of the year and take about 12 months to complete. If there’s any opportunity to bring the contract forward it should be done in the interests of reducing road trauma and congestion in Traralgon.”
