Rain has knocked out almost a third of working days on major road projects in Ballarat, according to Regional Roads Victoria, and more rain is forecast this week.
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The state government agency is working on five intersections across Delacombe and Sebastopol as part of the Keeping Ballarat Moving project, a $60 million election promise.
So far, only one of the six initial projects has been completed - the traffic lights installed at Gillies Street and Gregory Street West in Wendouree - while road closures and nightworks are still happening simultaneously across four of the other five sites.
Regional Roads Victoria's Grampians director Michael Bailey said he was optimistic progress would be made on the projects before the end of the year, but higher-than-expected rainfalls had led to significant construction delays.
"Over the last 60 production or working days, 43 were impacted by weather, and 20 were effectively no work because of rain," he told The Courier.
"If we do get the 50mm over the next three days it gives us issues, but we're making huge steps quickly in good weather."
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, rain is forecast for Ballarat for the rest of the week.
Mr Bailey said the rain pointed to a key part of the upgrade projects, which are not as simple as removing a roundabout and installing some traffic lights.
"Every time you look at a road project, it's not what you see finished, it's what's underneath that costs money and causes issues - that's what we have to get right," he said.
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"That's what's taken time at Wiltshire Lane and (the Delacombe Town Centre), we have to get the drainage right."
Right now, that drainage work is being put in at the La Trobe Street and Wiltshire Lane intersection in Delacombe, he said, and "bollards and poles" have been installed at the Hertford Street and Albert Street intersection in Sebastopol, where a "raised platform" speed hump will also be installed.
Depending on the weather, nightworks have been planned in Sebastopol until October 17 to lay new asphalt.
Traffic lights are being installed at these locations, as well as at Docwra Street and the Midland Highway in Sebastopol, and Wiltshire Lane and the Glenelg Highway in Delacombe.
Wiltshire Lane remains closed between the Glenelg Highway and Banff Road, and is expected to stay closed until November.
The fifth intersection, at Dyson Drive and Ballarat-Carngham Road, is planned as a roundabout, with early works beginning last month.
The state government has allocated $6.6 million for planning a duplication of Carngham Road between Dyson Drive and La Trobe Street.
The simultaneous works have been a nightmare for drivers and businesses, with many retailers in Sebastopol and Delacombe noting the dramatic effect the projects have had.
Regional Roads Victoria will also complete a maintenance blitz on major roads through the summer, focusing mainly on highways.
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