With summer approaching, rural residents are hoping councils will act to fix their roads, which have deteriorated over the past few months.
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However, some have lost faith the roads will ever be brought back up to scratch.
In Millbrook, east of Ballarat, dozens of trucks have torn up the Old Melbourne Road.
While livestock transport trucks are a common sight, quarry trucks and rail components heading to the track works for the Ballarat Line Upgrade project - which includes a significant passing loop installation at Millbrook - are making the road deteriorate faster, according to resident Gerard White.
Mr White has spoken out previously about the state of the road, and the need for Moorabool Shire Council to prioritise pushing the state government to keep it to a safe standard during, and after, construction.
The state government's Regional Rail Revival project has an agreement with Moorabool Shire Council to monitor and maintain local roads used by trucks and construction traffic during the Ballarat Line Upgrade.
WHERE DO ROADS NEED UPGRADING? LET US KNOW BELOW
He said the local state government representatives, Michaela Settle and Jaala Pulford, have been missing in action.
"There has been very little action up to date, and I would like an answer out of the local members of parliament to put us to scratch with regard to where we are with country roads," he said.
"As more and more cars use it all the time, it's just dangerous, that's the long and short of it."
A cyclist, Mr White said he had been knocked off his bike while trying to avoid traffic on Old Melbourne Road, and edges have degraded rapidly.
In Hepburn Shire, Jeanette Morrison lives on McLennans Road, an unsealed road off Creswick Road that connects to the Daylesford-Clunes Road south-east of Clunes.
She said the potholes "shocked" ambulance drivers.
"I've given up trying to talk to the council," she said.
"It wrecks everything on your car, often things come loose because of it."
Previously, many rural councils across the region have noted their increased spending on road maintenance, as populations continue to grow.
While comment from Hepburn Shire Council was not received by deadline, Moorabool Shire Council's Phil Jeffrey said in a statement discussions are continuing with the state government.
"The project has undertaken some maintenance on roads being used by the project when requested by Council under the agreement, however in some cases, Council has had to intervene because of safety concerns," he said.
"This agreement only covers immediate works and not longer term impacts.
"We are currently in discussions with the project in relation to rectification of the roads once the project is completed.
"There has been no official commitment to date, however it is expected that an agreement will be reached in the near future."
In a statement, state Roads Minister and western Victoria upper house representative Jaala Pulford said more than 370 kilometres of arterial roads were being repaired, resurfaced, and rebuilt as part of a road maintenance blitz.
"We're also helping regional and rural councils to rebuild roads, strengthen bridges and improve safety on their local roads above and beyond their usual works through our Fixing Country Roads Program," she said.
Buninyong MP Michaela Settle, whose electorate includes Millbrook, said the government had made a "record investment in regional roads" and the Ballarat Line Upgrade will deliver better public transport services.
"Coming from a farming background, I know how important regional roads are to our community - and how we depend on them," she said in a statement.
"With any major project, the team will work with the local community to repair disrupted areas upon completion."
The state government has allocated $2.16 million to Moorabool Shire Council, which includes safety improvements and road strengthening for Old Melbourne Road.
More than $425 million is being spent across the state, while the Fixing Country Roads Program is helping councils with 224 local road projects.
Regional Rail Revival director Mark Havryluk said in statement repairs on roads near the Millbrook passing loop had already been undertaken, and more work will continue in the coming months.
""We're working closely with Moorabool Council to assess roads that have been regularly used by Ballarat Line Upgrade vehicles during construction," he said.
Detailed assessments are being completed and will be finalised by 2019.
Spreadeagle Road is one of the roads already patched up.
Major construction on the Ballarat Line Upgrade will be complete at the end of 2019. A period of commissioning will follow next year before the introduction of more new services in 2020.
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