MOTORISTS travelling between Ballarat and Creswick face at least another three months of slow going with Regional Roads Victoria halting work on the Midland Highway improvements.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The wet and cold weather has caused the delay with the surfacing of the road, with Regional Roads Victoria saying any laying of new road would not survive the underlying wet conditions, which have caused the delays until September
On its website, RRV said "Ballarat has experienced a cold and wet start to 2020 and more wet weather is expected over the winter months".
"Dry ground and higher temperatures are needed to ensure our roadworks set correctly.
"To ensure the quality and safety of our roads, construction will be delayed during periods of ongoing wet and cold weather."
Among the upgrades still to be completed include an ice detection system north of Jubilee Road and the redesign of the Kennedy's Road intersection to include a new roundabout, which is hoped will see a large reduction of crashes in the area.
Taronga Road will remain closed with Pistol Club Road remaining as the alternative route in the meantime.
The Midland Highway, between Ballarat and Creswick, has been identified as one of Victoria's highest-risk rural roads.
In the five-year period from December 2010 to December 2015, there were 19 crashes on the road, which resulted in three fatalities and 10 people being seriously injured.
A crash at the Midland Highway and Western Highway interchange in November 2017 saw another person killed. That intersection has been upgraded with a new roundabout installed.
Have you signed up to The Courier's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in Ballarat.
