The City of Ballarat has announced a $6 million roads blitz that involves work on more than 60 projects throughout the region.
The background: Roads are a hot topic in West Vic, with several pledges from both sides of the fence for state-owned roads in the lead-up to the election.
Locals have repeatedly voiced their concerns about treacherous roads damaging cars, causing ongoing safety issues.
🗣️ “Sometimes it feels like a gamble just to head down to the shops," Riley House, a Ballarat local living in Miners Rest, told the Brolga.
What happened: Ballarat City released a statement on Monday morning outlining the blitz, with works slated to begin in October once weather conditions improve.
The blitz involves a series of resealing, resurfacing and major patching works.
Which roads? Along with the announcement, the City released an interactive map outlining where the works would take place and the depth of work required at each site.
Invermay, Cardigan, Brown Hill, Sebastopol, Mount Clear are set for resealing, as well as parts of the CBD. This includes parts of Greehalghs Road, Mansfield Rd and Remembrance Drive.
Resurfacing works will occur in Delacombe and central Ballarat, on parts of Sturt Street, Learmonth Road and Alfredton Drive.
Major patching works will be taking place in Warrenheip,Learmonth and central Ballarat, including Norman Street.
Image: City of Ballarat.
Who makes the cut? Bridget Wetherall, Director Infrastructure and Environment, told the Brolga repair works are selected through "proactive and reactive inspections”, “community feedback”, and condition assessments.
Wetherall also said the City is prepared for flexibility and is “ready to respond to unforeseen road safety issues”.
Local involvement: Wetherall told the Brolga the council understands roads are a key concern for residents.
“The number of road defects reported to us is broadly consistent with previous years,” she said. “However, we understand that even a single pothole or road defect can be frustrating for road users and local residents.”
Slippery slopes: Ballarat just shivered through an intense winter, and repair work is “often limited” due to extreme weather.
This means repairs undertaken in winter are often made as a temporary solution until more permanent repairs can be completed in warmer weather.
What next? Wetherall urged residents to continue reporting subpar road conditions to council where they can.
“The best thing about going on holiday outside of Ballarat is being able to drive on something smooth,” House told the Brolga. “It’s truly terrible.”
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