Beaufort and Ararat Bypasses to improve safety and efficiency

A re-elected Turnbull Government will work towards making the Western Highway safer and more efficient by delivering funding towards bypasses for the towns of Beaufort and Ararat.

The Western Highway is a key transport route connecting Melbourne and Adelaide and traffic on the road is expected to increase in the future. Currently motorists travelling through Beaufort and Ararat are required to reduce their speed from 110 km/h to 50 km/h, which compromises safety, travel times and vehicle operating costs.

The Turnbull Government will provide $25 million towards the cost of each bypass for a total investment of $50 million in the electorate of Wannon. Planning work on the two bypasses is presently underway, with funding from the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments.

The total cost of the bypass projects will not be known until that planning work is complete. However, the funding being allocated by the Commonwealth is intended to allow for land acquisition and detailed design work sufficient to allow the projects to go to tender for construction.

This funding represents a significant commitment by the Commonwealth to move these two vital projects forward. We will work with the Victorian Government to agree the state's contribution to these projects.

The Beaufort project will include construction of a dual carriageway, interchanges to connect Beaufort to the Western Highway, several waterway crossings, an overpass of the Melbourne-Ararat rail line and intersection treatments of local roads.

The Ararat project will include construction of a four-lane carriageway, interchanges to connect Ararat to the Western Highway and intersection treatments of local roads.

This funding comes on top of record commitments from the Turnbull Government in the Budget of $37.9 million for local councils and infrastructure in the electorate of Wannon in 2016/17. This includes:

•  $21.5 million in Roads2Recovery funding;
•  $4.1 million in Bridges Renewal funding;
•  $12.3 million from the National Stronger Regions Fund

The Turnbull Government is investing a total of $7.6 billion in Victorian infrastructure. In addition, the Turnbull Government remains committed to the East West Link and will provide $3 billion to the first Victorian Government willing to build this vital project.

This Victorian investment includes a $1.5 billion infrastructure plan with $500 million towards the Monash Freeway, $350 million for the M80 Ring Road, and $220 million for the Murray Basin Freight Rail, conditional on the Victorian Government matching this funding dollar for dollar.

In addition, the Turnbull Government has committed $857.2 million for Melbourne Metro and a further $20 million for the Murray Basin Freight Rail under the Asset Recycling Initiative.

The Turnbull Government is spending a record $50 billion on land transport infrastructure as part of our carefully structured economic plan to provide jobs and growth and a secure future for Australian families.