An efficient road transport system is vital to the economic and social prosperity of Victoria. This section focuses on the strategies which guide VicRoads' approach to providing an efficient road transport system.
The following strategies are essential to the efficient management of Victoria's roads and bridges.
This is an integrated transport plan for the management and development of Melbourne's transport system. The plan considers personal travel - walking, cycling, trains, trams, buses, taxis, cars and motorcycles - as well as the movement of freight via roads, rail and ports, outlining strategies and actions for the next 4 - 5 years. The plan identifies the key transport challenges posed by Melbourne's growth and development, and sets out strategies and priority actions to address these.
Victoria’s major rural roads play a vital role in making Victoria a better place in which to live, work, visit and do business. Victoria's Rural Arterial Road Network Strategy - Linking Victoria sets out a clear and community focused strategy for managing these important roads. It responds to the needs of users and presents a range of properly targeted initiatives to provide Victoria with a quality road network, now and in the future.
This strategy considers all the values and requirements of the roadside (any non-paved areas within road reserve, including land either side of the road between carriageways), treating the roadside as a comprehensive asset and identifies key goals and objectives. It addresses stakeholder requirements and community perceptions, without compromising safety.
Just as it makes good sense to repaint a weatherboard house rather than to allow the timber to rot away and need replacement, the same principle applies to roads. Regular maintenance to keep road surfaces watertight, regulate surface shape and strengthen failing materials is a cost-effective way of reducing pavement deterioration and postponing more expensive treatments.
Bridges are critical links in the road network. The Victorian Arterial Bridge Strategy assists VicRoads in the management of structures on the arterial road system. The strategy aims to;
- optimise accessibility, mobility and freight efficiency in a safe and environmentally friendly manner for the Victorian community
- ensure that the bridge assets are managed in a manner that balances road transport needs with maintenance funding.