“This program will fund much-needed upgrading works around Australia such as shoulder and centreline widening, ripple strips and wire rope barriers, overtaking lanes, turning lanes and pavement improvements,” Truss said.

The Australian government is allocating through the national highway upgrade program:

. $3.2 million to construct truck lay-bys and decoupling areas on the Federal Highway, to be jointly funded, with the ACT government providing $800,000;

. $20 million to build new, higher level bridges at the Little Horse and Big Horse creek crossings to make the Victoria Highway more reliable in the wet season, to be jointly funded with the Northern Territory government providing all further funding;

. $61.35 million to construct heavy duty pavement on the Newell Highway, including a widened centreline, between Mungle Back Creek and Boggabilla, to be jointly funded, with the New South Wales Government providing $15.35 million;

. $19.9 million for priority projects on the Sturt Highway, including bridge widening, strengthening, barrier and intersection upgrades, new overtaking lanes and shoulder sealing of the Berri Bypass, to be jointly funded, with the South Australian government providing $4.97 million;

. $7.68 million to duplicate the Bass Highway between Birralee and Exton, to be jointly funded, with the Tasmanian government providing $1.92 million; and

. $32.2 million to construct a bypass of New Norcia and upgrade floodways between Meekatharra and Newman on the Great Northern Highway, to be jointly funded, with the Western Australian government providing $8.05 million.

The Australian government is also allocating $35 million through the program for bridge strengthening works on the Western Highway, Hume Freeway, Monash Freeway and Goulburn Valley Highway, and for safety works between the South Australian Border and Kaniva on the Western Highway.

Victorian Roads Minister Luke Donnellan said funding under the national highway upgrade program would support safety and efficiency for all motorists on national network roads.

“This program will ensure greater productivity and better infrastructure for local communities,” he said.

“The funding forms part of the Victorian government’s stronger country bridges program to strengthen bridges on key freight routes.

“Heavy vehicles including semi-trailers and B-Doubles will be able to take more direct routes from our farms, towns and communities improving productivity across the state.”

Construction on projects funded under the national highway upgrade program is expected to start in 2015-16.