A five-kilometre stretch of road between Kyabram and Echuca has had permanent road hazard and rough surface signs put in place that have reduced the speed limit to 60km/h.
The Department of Transport decision to replace temporary signs that were overgrown by roadside vegetation with a permanent version has drawn widespread criticism by regular users of the major road that connects the two Campaspe Shire towns.
Some temporary signs remain in the lead-up to the permanent 60km/h speed limit signs. In fact, if you are travelling from Kyabram, you will encounter the temporary signs before the speed limit returns to 100km/h and then reverts back to 60km/h a further 100m along the road.
Several Kyabram residents travel the road daily to commute for work, while others regularly use the most accessible roadway to the Campaspe Shire headquarters for education, medical and shopping requirements.
The Kyabram-bound lane has significantly more damage than the Echuca-bound lane, with the stretch of damaged road between Tehan Rd and O’Dea Rd.
It continues a significant change to speed limits on the road as the western entrance to Kyabram has also had an extensive reduction to the entry speed into the town.
However, it is the damage to McKenzie Rd that has incurred the wrath of motorists as they are forced to hit the brakes en route to Echuca for an ongoing period.
The pre-flood damage to the roadway is in the form of roughage which most motorists would consider minor at best and is probably not indicative of the 6km stretch of reduced speed.
The permanent rough surface and road hazard signs are also in place on a stretch of Rochester-Corop Rd where the same scenario has evolved. Permanent road hazard signs reducing the speed limit from 100km/h to 80km/h have replaced temporary signs that were in place on the road for some time.
In April last year, the state Nationals launched a three-month campaign to find Victoria’s worst roads.
State Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh has been recruited by disgruntled motorists to play a role in returning the stretch to 100km/h.
“The Kyabram-Echuca Rd, officially McKenzie Rd, has been “under repair’’ for an extended period — in my experience, two years — without a change to its status,” Mr Walsh said.
Most people could be forgiven for thinking someone had forgotten to pick up the A-frame ‘’hazard ahead’’ signage. There is no such confusion with the permanent signage.
According to one regular user of the road, motorists have been “ignoring the signs’’ as they considered the length of time allocated to the anticipated repair as ridiculous.
“It is a 6km stretch of road that has been patched here and there and has a few bumps,” the motorist said.
The same motorist said the stretch of “hazardous’’ McKenzie Rd was not as bad as some flood-affected roadways that did not have a reduced speed limit.
Mr Walsh has replied to the approach by saying he had written to Roads and Road Safety Minister Melissa Horne on February 28 regarding the hazardous condition of the road and the length of time the speed limit had been reduced as a result.
Mr Walsh has asked the minister to investigate and ensure the repair is completed so it can be converted back to a 100km/h zone.
In the meantime, it may be a good idea for motorists to be aware of the new speed limits as mobile and stationary police vehicles are also regular users of the roadway.