Motorcycle-specific road upgrades in Victoria

The ruling Labor Government in Victoria has committed $10.75 million to upgrade 11 regional roads regularly frequented by motorcycle riders.

According to the government, the Motorcycle Safety Levy-funded upgrades will include the installation of new rub-rail protective barriers, sealing driveways and roads, better surfaces, signage and roadside improvements.

Work is already complete on three routes: the Great Alpine Road, Licola Road (Licola to Heyfield) and the Omeo Highway (Bogong High Plains Road to Anglers Rest), with a further eight upgrades expected to be finished by mid-2017. They are as follows:

Macedon Ranges
• Lancefield-Woodend Rd (Lancefield to Woodend)
• Mt Macedon-Hanging Rock Rd (Mt Macedon Rd to Lancefield-Woodend Rd)
• Mt Macedon Rd (Macedon-Woodend Rd to Mt Macedon-Hanging Rock Rd)

Hepburn Shire
• Daylesford-Trentham Rd (Midland Hwy to Kyneton-Trentham Rd)
• Myrniong-Trentham Rd (Kyneton to Western Fwy)

Otways/Surf Coast Shire
• Deans Marsh-Lorne Rd (Deans Marsh to Lorne)

Mansfield/Wangaratta Rural City Shire
• Mansfield-Whitfield Rd (Mansfield to Whitfield)

Yarra Ranges
• Healesville-Kinglake Rd (Healesville to Toolangi)

A further $2.1 million will also provide additional maintenance funding for 200 popular motorcycle touring routes, "enabling targeted road surfacing works as required, mainly on approaches to corners".

“We know motorcyclists are over-represented in serious and fatal crashes and that’s why we’re identifying the routes riders use so we can make them safer," said Minister for Roads and Road Safety Luke Donnellan.

“Drivers should also make sure they are on the lookout for motorcycles and share the road responsibly.”