Almost half of Victoria’s roads in poor condition, as decline outpaces repairs

Almost half of the state’s government-managed roads are in poor or very poor condition, with decline outpacing repairs, according to a new report from the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office (VAGO).

Tracking the deterioration of Victoria’s “state roads” – major arterials owned and operated by the Department of Transport and Planning which span 23,000 kilometres – the report released on Wednesday found current government funding to maintain or improve state roads was insufficient.

“This has meant it [funding] focuses more on reactive and safety-critical repairs rather than preventative works,” the report found.

The vast majority of state roads are in regional Victoria, and carry most of the state’s traffic and freight vehicles. About 48 per cent of state roads were considered in poor or very poor condition in 2024 – jumping by almost a quarter from 39 per cent in 2021.

The 2024 data reveals more than a third of state roads have just five years of “useful life” left before they deteriorate so severely that they cannot be used safely without introducing reduced speed or vehicle load limits. Another 10.5 per cent have between five and 15 years remaining on their useful life.

Conditions are worst in regional Victoria, where 69 per cent of state-run roads in the Loddon Mallee are in poor or very poor condition. In Hume, the figure is 57 per cent, and 48.6 per cent in The Grampians.

There are currently 8049 unrepaired potholes across Victoria, with all the worst affected areas all in the regions. Towong (445), Moyne (386) and Mornington Peninsula (382) are the most impacted across the state, with the outer suburban Melton the worst area of Melbourne (250).

The report also noted that between January 2025 and January 2026, the gap between the number of defects recorded and number of defects repaired more than doubled.

“Renewal spending is not keeping pace with deterioration, and defects are appearing faster than they are repaired,” the report said.

Roads and potholes have become a flashpoint in the lead-up to the November 28 state election, particularly among rural and regional voters, as thousands of motorists battle car damage and delays due to poor road quality – especially in rural and regional areas.

VAGO noted roads in poor condition increase the risk of accidents, and increase travel time and cost for motorists.

The Department of Transport and Planning’s 2026-27 business case estimated it would cost the state government more than $3 billion a year to maintain road-pavement conditions at their current state while replacing ageing assets, but “recognising fiscal constraints”, only sought minimal funding.

The department’s road maintenance funding in the most recent state budget was $1.04 billion, but Premier Ben Carroll recently committed an additional $352 million to repair 500,000 potholes this year – double its original target.

Victorian Roads Minister Paul Hamer said the government’s extra funding was a clear indication Labor would deliver needed improvements on roads.

“We’ve had record investment over the last few years … but we need to do more. We’re we’re not shying away from that.”

Labor has also pledged that if re-elected it will bring control of road maintenance back under government control and enlist minimum-security prisoners to mow grass, pick up litter and remove graffiti on roadsides.

The opposition has its own $5 billion plan to repair and rebuild Victorian roads, including fixing a million potholes over four years.

More to come

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