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 morning 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 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. Roads in poor condition increase the risk of accidents, and increase travel time and cost for motorists.

Roads and potholes have become a flash point 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.

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.

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, pickup 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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Angus Delaney is a state political reporter at The Age. Email him at [email protected] or contact him securely on Signal at angusdelaney.31Connect via email.Craig Butt is the National Data Editor of The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X, Facebook or email.AdvertisementAdvertisement