NINE councils along the Calder Highway will launch a re-charged campaign for road safety improvements.
More passing lanes north of Bendigo and works that will strengthen the Loddon River crossing at Bridgewater are on the new priority list.
Calder Highway Improvement Committee, with representatives from councils including Loddon and Buloke, will launch its Improving the Calder Highway on the outskirts of Melbourne on Saturday.
Committee chair and former Buloke mayor David Pollard said the highway was a major freight route.
“The bridge load limit at Bridgewater needs to be what is required for today’s major freight movement,” he said.
Loddon Shire Council last year listed bridge improvements as a key priority work for inclusion in the committee’s advocacy document.
Daily traffic flow on the Calder through Bridgewater is more than 6000 vehicles.
Cr Pollard said the improved safety for motorists and pedestrians was needed on the highway “that is a national road of significance”.
He said more passing lanes were needed and questioned ongoing delays on north and south-bound lanes at Derby where government signs say work was to have been completed in 2020.
The Derby project was given a new tick for Federal Government funding in the protracted infrastructure review last year.
A Transport and Planning Department spokesperson said earlier this month: “Now that we have confirmation of Commonwealth funding for this project, we’re finalising planning for this important project. We’ll keep the community informed as these plans progress.”
Cr Pollard said: “We need overtaking lanes between Bendigo and Mildura. Trucks are getting bigger and people are taking some risks overtaking these trucks.
“The Derby project has the sign still up (about work being done) ... just get it completed.”
Cr Pollard said the committee’s priority push would also advocate for pedestrian crossings in Wedderburn, Charlton and Wycheproof.