Safety works at the Calder Highway and Patchewollock−Sea Lake Road intersection in Victoria, Australia, are currently underway.

The works are part of the A$20m ($14.2m) Australian and Victorian government investment in the Calder Highway Bendigo to Mildura upgrade.

Both governments contributed A$10m ($7.10m) to the upgrade, which is expected to help boost safety at the intersection.

A new T intersection and right hand turning lane will be constructed to offer improved safety and capacity. It will be beneficial for primary producers and freight operators in the region.

“These improvements will help our regional producers transport their goods to market faster and more safely, while improving access for heavy freight vehicles.”

Works are scheduled to be completed by the end of this year.

Victoria Minister for Roads and Road Safety Luke Donnellan said that a new centre island, safety barrier and road surface will be built as part of the project.

Donnellan added: “This intersection no longer met the needs of the community, so we’re getting on and fixing it because everyone deserves to get where they’re going safely.”

“These improvements will help our regional producers transport their goods to market faster and more safely, while improving access for heavy freight vehicles.”

It is believed that the proposed road upgrade will increase productivity and safety for regional producers in Mildura who depend on the vital connection to get agricultural freight to their markets in Bendigo and Melbourne.

Federal Member for Mallee Andrew Broad said that the upgrade would significantly boost safety across the region.

The Calder Highway connects Melbourne in Victoria to Bendigo and Mildura, as well as the Victoria / New South Wales border on the way to Broken Hill.

It further passes through New South Wales to Broken Hill, Tibooburra, and the New South Wales / Queensland border as the Silver City Highway.