Greater Shepparton City Council has welcomed an election commitment from the Victorian Labor Party to upgrade the intersection of River Road and the Goulburn Valley Highway in Kialla, delivering support for one of Council's key State Election advocacy priorities and a critical piece of infrastructure for Greater Shepparton's growing southern corridor.
The election commitment includes $25 million funding to construct a dual-lane roundabout at the intersection, improving safety and traffic flow at one of the municipality's busiest transport corridors.
The project was identified as a priority within Council's Greater Shepparton Road Network Resilience Package, a key advocacy initiative that seeks investment in critical transport infrastructure to improve safety, reduce congestion, strengthen freight efficiency and support continued population and economic growth across the region.
The intersection of River Road and the Goulburn Valley Highway has a long history of serious accidents, with strong community concern around its safety.
Mayor, Councillor Geoff Akers said the election commitment was a positive outcome for the community and reflected Council's ongoing advocacy for improved road infrastructure.
"Council has consistently highlighted the need for improvements along River Road as Kialla continues to experience significant residential growth and increased traffic volumes," he said.
"This commitment recognises the importance of investing in infrastructure now to support our growing community, improve road safety and ensure our transport network can meet future demand."
Greater Shepparton is one of regional Victoria's fastest-growing centres and services a catchment of more than 250,000 people, placing increasing pressure on key transport corridors and local roads. Council's Road Network Resilience Package was developed alongside businesses and community to address these challenges through targeted upgrades that improve connectivity, network resilience and freight efficiency.
"River Road is a vital connection for residents, businesses, schools and visitors in our southern growth corridor," Cr Akers said.
"Improving this intersection will help reduce congestion, provide better connections for the thousands of people who use this route every day, and most importantly enhance safety at the notoriously dangerous intersection."
Council's advocacy package identifies road infrastructure investment as essential to supporting population growth, industry development and long-term prosperity across Greater Shepparton and northern Victoria. The broader Road Network Resilience Package includes a range of strategic transport projects designed to improve freight productivity, strengthen transport links and build resilience across the municipality's road network.
Cr Akers said Council would continue working with all political parties and candidates throughout the election period to secure support for the full suite of advocacy priorities.
"We welcome this commitment and will continue to advocate for the infrastructure investment our community needs," he said.
"Greater Shepparton is ready for growth, and projects like this will help ensure we have the transport infrastructure required to support our residents, businesses and future development."
