Improvements to Council's Road Management Plan
Published on 19 July 2024
Road users across Mansfield Shire can look forward to continued improvements in maintenance following Council’s recent adoption of an updated Road Management Plan (RMP) and Register of Public Roads.
Key changes to the RMP include making road inspections more frequent and lowering the threshold for footpath repairs. Unsealed road grading remains a key focus with a targeted maintenance approach centred around addressing the factors that impact the condition of unsealed roads such as traffic volumes, weather conditions and road geography. Council has progressively increased the total kilometres of road graded each year, with over 530 kms completed in 2023.
Each local council in Victoria has a Road Management Plan that guides how local roads are maintained. The RMP works together with Council’s Register of Public Roads, which lists all the roads Council is responsible for maintaining.
Mayor Cr Steve Rabie said roads were a high priority for Council.
“This was a critical piece of work for Council. We went through significant public consultation over many months to make sure we heard every community member.
“Maintaining our roads keeps us safe as we move around our Shire. Properly considered maintenance maximises the lifespan of our roads and bridges, ensuring our investments give our ratepayers the best bang for their buck overall,” said Cr Rabie.
“We know well-maintained roads are a top priority for our community too.
“That’s why we did such a thorough community engagement to identify key challenges and opportunities. We held two deliberative engagement sessions, in-person and online workshops and an online survey.
“The engagement helped us understand what our community sees as challenges and opportunities in improving our road maintenance, and we’ve now updated our RMP and Register of Public Roads in response,” he said.
Mansfield Shire Council is responsible for 263 km of sealed road, 585 km of unsealed road, 110km of pathways and 57 bridges. This includes concrete kerb and channel (gutters) and many culverts to help direct stormwater away from roads.
The recent updates saw more than 17km of road added to Council’s Register of Public Roads. Council will maintain these roads according to the RMP requirements for inspection and maintenance.
“This isn’t a decision we make lightly – every road we add to the register costs ratepayers’ money,” said Cr Rabie.
“Often the roads we’re asked to add are in poor condition and need to be upgraded too.
“We assess each road to be make sure they meet specific criteria. To put it simply, it has to be in the public interest for Council to maintain the road,” he said.
Council also received a request to add an unnamed road off Howqua Track in Merrijig, which provides another access to the rear of properties on Wild Dog Road. After assessing this road Council determined not to include this road in the Register of Public Roads.
View the updated Road Management Plan and Register of Public Roads.