Council continues advocacy for road program funding

Cardinia Shire Mayor, Councillor Tammy Radford, said the program is of vital importance to the residents across the Shire’s hills areas.

“Despite bipartisan support for the project, and a federal announcement of funding for the project in 2019, Council identified that the project was not detailed in the Australian Government's revised budget in October 2022,” she said.

Sealing the Hills is a multi-year major infrastructure project prioritising the sealing of currently unsealed roads to bring safety improvements and better access for residents to their homes, schools, community facilities and townships.

The program includes 42 packages of works, which will seal more than 160 unsealed roads – over 100 kilometres – across 11 townships in the Dandenong Ranges and surrounds.

This funding would support council to:

• Seal hundreds of kilometres of roads
• Reduce dust and improve liveability for the locality
• Deliver essential improvements to road safety
• Improve access to our schools and community facilities, and
• Improve access for our residents, tourists, and members of emergency services.

“We understand the uncertainty around the Sealing the Hills funding is distressing for residents, and council again reiterates its commitment to advocating for the delivery of the ‘Sealing the Hills’ project,” said Cr Radford.  

Council is awaiting an official response from the federal government on the future of the funding.

For more information, please visit www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/sealingthehills