REGION - Nationals Member for Western Victoria David O'Brien has praised the role of the Western Highway Action Committee (WHAC) in securing bypass funding and pushing for duplication funding through to Stawell.
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"Kevin Erwin as Chair of the WHAC, and also Mayor of Northern Grampians Shire, has been tireless in his advocacy which has ensured that the Western Highway has been front and centre in the mind of state and federal decision makers," said Mr O'Brien.
"The WHAC has made its presence felt in Canberra and Spring Street through mayoral delegations also attended as appropriate by myself and Andrew Broad MP, member for Mallee.
The 2014-15 State budget revealed $2 million dollars from state roads funding for the pre-construction work for the bypasses of Beaufort and Ararat.
This was matched by Federal funding of $2 million.
Cr Erwin said that Western Victorian communities and the Western Highway Action Committee were pleased that the State Government had seen fit to allocate these funds in the State Budget.
The most recent announcement funded construction of the duplication from Beaufort to Buangor including a bypass of that town.
Planning for bypasses of Beaufort and Ararat forms part of a $20 million Victorian regional roads program jointly funded by the Commonwealth ($15 million) and the Victorian Government ($5 million).