By Mitchell Clarke
Frustrated motorists have launched a petition in a bid to fast track works to fix the notorious Kooweerup Road, which is reportedly “inspected” by the Department of Transport weekly.
Pakenham resident Airielle Wolmar, who used to live in Kooweerup and travelled on the pothole plagued road daily, created the petition out of pure frustration.
“Over the last year and half, I’ve watched the road get progressively worse,” she explained.
“I think it’s just getting to the point where something big needs to be done, because it’s going to cause a serious accident. Someone is going to hit a pothole and collide head on with another car. It stresses me out thinking about it.”
It was announced in 2018 that the dangerous road would be duplicated from two to four lanes between the Princes Freeway and Manks Road, but the 10km upgrade won’t be finished before 2025.
A recent fatality along the road, which tragically claimed the life of a man in his 80s, has led to calls for immediate action.
Ms Wolmer’s petition garnered more than 200 signatures within a couple of days, and attracted the support of Shadow Roads Minister, Brad Battin.
Mr Battin said the State Government must provide funding to fast track works in the upcoming state budget.
“The road continues to become more and more dangerous as the weeks go by that the Labor Government fail to deliver the money they promised at the last election,” he said.
“There has already been a number of horrific accidents on this road and still the government refuse to provide the vital funding to upgrade the road to meet the population demand.”
The issue was also raised in Parliament by Pakenham based Liberal MP Edward O’Donohue, who said the road’s condition was a “disgrace”.
“It is potholed. I am constantly contacted by constituents who say the road has caused damage to their vehicles. It is not up to scratch and needs repairing,” he said.
Ms Wolmer said she was sick of seeing people post to Facebook about damages to their car and being left out of pocket because their claims failed to meet the VicRoads threshold.
“We pay rego and taxes for this kind of stuff, we have to have our cars roadworthy but our roads aren’t car worthy,” she said.
“I’ve seen them fill the holes with crushed rock before. They just fill it with asphalt and leave straight away, so people are driving on it before it’s even set. After being in lockdown and classed as metro Melbourne, I think it’s only fair that we’re treated the same and our roads are repaired properly.”
But the State Government claim “significant asphalt repair work” had been undertaken along the road, which is reportedly “inspected by the Department of Transport each week”.
In the past year, major road repairs were carried out between Manks Road and Greenhills Road.
Bass MP Jordan Crugnale said her thoughts and sympathies were with the family and friends impacted by the tragic crash.
“Road safety is always our priority – that’s why we’re duplicating Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road between the Princes Freeway and Manks Road with investigative works expected to begin next year,” she said.
More asphalt repairs between Watson Road and Manks Road are scheduled to begin this month and will be completed by Christmas.
But it’s the major duplication project, which was announced in 2018, that motorists want fast tracked.
Once complete, Healesville-Kooweerup Road will be duplicated from two to four lanes between the Princes Freeway and Manks Road.
The 10 kilometre upgrade, which isn’t due to be completed until 2025, will form a new walking and cycling path and improve intersections.
The Department of Transport was contacted for comment.
