Latrobe City Council Mayor, Councillor Sharon Gibson, has expressed deep disappointment and frustration at continued delays in finishing critical road safety projects in Latrobe City, asserting that regional communities are being left behind while metropolitan Melbourne continues to benefit from more timely infrastructure investment.
Key examples in Latrobe City include the Lloyd Street and Waterloo Road rail crossing upgrade in Moe and the Princes Highway and Bank Street intersection upgrade in Traralgon. Both were announced more than six years ago and remain incomplete, despite ongoing community concern about safety risks.
The Mayor said the unacceptable delays to road safety projects are contributing to growing frustration across the region.
"It seems that regional communities are the poor cousins of their city counterparts when it comes to the Victorian Government delivering critical road and intersection infrastructure projects. And our communities are rightly frustrated," the Mayor said.
"These projects have dragged on for years with no end in sight, while we continue to see major infrastructure projects delivered across metropolitan Melbourne, including countless level crossing removals."
"Our residents deserve the same commitment to safety and infrastructure investment as those living in metropolitan areas," continued the Mayor.
"The longer these projects remain unfinished, the longer our community is exposed to serious safety risks. These are not hypothetical concerns - accidents are happening."
The Mayor said Council is frustrated by the lack of progress on the Lloyd Street and Waterloo Road rail crossing upgrade in Moe which is in the immediate vicinity of a primary school where young children and families cross daily.
"Like many in the community, I have concerns about someone being gravely injured or the prospect of something more serious occurring. I must question, what will it take to get safety for our residents?" the Mayor said.
The Moe level crossing is used by about 13,500 vehicles each day and the length of the crossing is inadequate for use by large trucks. The Department of Transport and Planning has identified that the congestion causes travel delays and more risk-taking by motorists.
"We have written to the Minister for Public Transport, Minister for Roads and the Department of Transport and Planning several times regarding the Lloyd Street and Waterloo Road level crossing. Funding was finally promised for the upgrade back in 2020 after the crossing was identified as high-risk," she said.
The most recent update from the Department of Transport indicates that works are due to begin in mid-2026; however, there is no current indication of these beginning.
Local residents are desperate for work to be completed on the Princes Highway and Bank Street as they await the long-promised installation of traffic lights.
"The Department of Transport and Planning installed a pedestrian island on Bank Street back in 2022 believing the underpass was part of the project. Instead, we now have residents facing a 400-metre detour to cross safely. Children and people with limited mobility are taking dangerous risks because safe access has not been delivered," the Mayor said.
The Mayor is disappointed with the most recent advice from the Minister for Roads and Road Safety, The Hon Melissa Horne MP, that the traffic signals at the Princes Highway and Bank Street intersection in Traralgon will not be operational until at least 2027.
"By then, it will have been close to a decade since funding for this project was first announced. That's a decade too late for a project focused on community safety," the Mayor said.
In February this year, the Mayor wrote to the Victorian Minister for Public and Active Transport and the Minister for Roads and Road Safety urging the State Government to urgently complete and activate the traffic lights.
Council will continue advocating strongly for the completion of these critical road safety upgrades and will keep the community informed of future developments.
