INCREASED traffic and freight and increasingly destructive storms, with decreased investment by the Victorian Government, are all leading to a perfect storm of dangerous and costly road conditions across the region.
Drivers on the South Gippsland Highway between Loch and Korumburra experienced that last week when a huge pothole opened up on the westbound lane near Bena.
Heavy rain and poor drainage undermined a stretch of road that had previously undergone maintenance by VicRoads but didn’t hold up.
The huge pothole stretched approximately two and a half metres and up to 30cm across in places along the left wheel path.
On the same section of road in the right wheel path five smaller potholes had opened up, with the potential to deteriorate further.
Korumburra local, Karli Michelle was so concerned about the road that she stopped to take a photo to warn other motorists via a Facebook post shared on a community page.
“I’ve been driving the highway between Korumburra and Frankston three days a week for the last seven years and the current state of the South Gippsland highway is the worst I’ve seen it in that time,” Karli explained.
“There are numerous potholes that require a driver to swerve into oncoming traffic and cross road markings if they are to avoid hitting them at 100km/hr. The only alternative is to drive through at lower speeds and take the risk of damaging your car or having an accident. Slowing down is an option, but had I been travelling in the dark I would not have known it was coming and not had time to slow down.”
VicRoads patched that particular section of road, days later, but many other potholes remain.
“They’ve actually left all of the others between Korumburra and Loch unfilled. A short-term fix. I’m doubtful they’ll be back anytime soon to carry out proper repairs and maintenance. I honestly don’t know how larger trucks manage either. Why aren’t we taking the safety of heavy vehicle drivers and workers more seriously?” Karli said.
Data from TAC showed that in 2018, the majority (61 per cent) of deaths in regional areas occurred on roads with 100km/hr or higher, speed limits.
Of the deaths on regional roads, half lost their lives in single-vehicle crashes, compared to 24 per cent in metro Melbourne and 21 per cent lost their lives in head-on crashes compared to 11 per cent in metro Melbourne.
In the 2022–23 financial year, the Department of Transport and Planning received 1532 compensation claims from Victorians for property damage involving road pavement and surface defects such as potholes, damaged roads, and uneven road surfaces.
Just one of these claims was assessed as payable.
According to various automobile associations, pothole-related repairs can cost drivers and fleet operators thousands to millions of dollars annually, from increased insurance claims that lead to rising premiums and insurance not covering all repair costs, leaving drivers to bear significant out-of-pocket expenses.
Figures provided to the State Parliament show that the money spent on resurfacing and resealing contracts in the 2023/24 financial year was just 18 per cent of the previous year, dropping from $201.4 million to just $37.6 million across the state.
The Nationals State Member for Gippsland South and Shadow Minister for Roads and Road Safety Danny O’Brien MP has been campaigning for road improvements for many years.
“These figures just highlight the drastic budget cuts that have seen our roads deteriorate dramatically over the past few years to a point where the government’s own survey last year revealed 91 per cent of roads were in poor or very poor condition,” Mr O’Brien said.
“What’s worse is that this dramatic reduction in road resurfacing and re-sealing work will lead to worse roads in the coming years.
“We are now at a point where 388 kilometres of road is already subject to speed restrictions due to lack of maintenance.”
With the recent closure of Pakenham saleyards and Koonwarra saleyards expanding to hold 6000 head of cattle and increasing to fortnightly sales, the toll on the South Gippsland Highway and deterioration of the road will continue to be significant.
“With more trucks on this road the Government needs to be putting more attention to it and making sure it is fit for purpose,” said Mr O’Brien.
The region’s roads will also see increased traffic with the population of South Gippsland forecast to grow by 14 per cent over the next twelve years.
Climate change and more severe weather events are expected to also wreak havoc on our roads.
As the atmosphere is getting hotter it has the capacity to hold more moisture, which fuels stronger convection in thunderstorms leading to more rain, falling with more intensity and more often, according to a Melbourne University study.
Water seeps into the road through surface failures and can destroy underlying road materials, washing them out and leading to potholes – the likes of which South Gippsland motorists know only too well.
“I’ll continue to advocate for better roads throughout Gippsland South to ensure locals, visitors and even livestock have decent roads to travel on,” said Mr O’Brien.
