The Benalla-Mansfield Road Upgrade Group is excited by an upcoming upgrade to what it calls the worst section, also known as the Midland-link Hwy.
Group convenor Don Cumming said at a meeting with VicRoads on March 24 this year a $4 million upgrade was announced.
“(That) is essentially a widening of the narrow road sidings between Magills Ln and the Barjarg fire shed, which was promised to start this October,” Mr Cumming said.
While an October date had been planned, works will get under way in November, or early December, depending on contractor availability.
Department of Transport Hume region director Steve Bowmaker said upgrades to the Midland-Link Hwy was part of a joint $4 million investment from the Victorian and Australian governments’ Targeted Road Safety Works Program.
“These important works will include road surface improvements, improved drainage and road widening, improving safety for all road users,” Mr Bowmaker said.
Mr Cummings has welcomed the news.
“The problem with the Midland link from Maindample through to Benalla is that a B-class road has jumped in traffic movements from 1500 vehicles per day before 2015 to 3000 now,” Mr Cumming said.
“(Some) 750 of these vehicles are semi-trailers 2.5 metres wide.
“They have to squeeze down a tunnel of embankments on a road surface that is barely 3.3 metres wide each way.
“This leaves a margin between two trucks weighing 54 tonnes each closing at 200km/h of 400mm.
“Reports from local garage owners indicate that mirrors are often clipped in the process.
“The really important issue that this upgrade will fix is that there is no margin for error.
“Once a truck or car comes off the bitumen shoulder there is a 150mm drop and little hope of recovery.
“This whole road between Mansfield and Benalla... needs a metre widening strip for about 15km south of Swanpool.
“This section is the worst and is a good start (on) a road that has a disproportionate number of deaths and serious accidents when compared to similar lengths of the Hume Hwy.”