Calls to improve Bena-Kongwak Road and save lives

A SOUTH Gippsland resident believes more needs to be done to make a section of Bena-Kongwak Road safer for motorists. 

The resident, who wished not to be named, lives along the road and said they have witnessed numerous close calls and that there are frequent accidents. 

The resident is calling on the South Gippsland Shire to upgrade a section of the road, where it becomes almost one lane and is surrounded by gravel, and for more speed signs to be placed. 

“I believe we need to save this road because it’s going to save lives,” the resident told the Sentinel-Times.

“They have widened another part of the road near Kongwak and that has made a really big difference.

“It’s (road) an asset to the area, so it would be great if we could convince council to get funding to upgrade it.”

The resident highlighted the road is used by a range of motorists including heavy vehicles, tourists, motorbikes and cyclists, adding to the complexity and dangers.

“They’re all sharing this road where in one section it’s just one lane,” they said.

“It’s (dangerous) mainly around the corners where you can’t see people coming.

“Some drivers just take up the whole road.”

The resident added they would be making a petition to see how much support could be gathered from the community. 

In response, South Gippsland Shire confirmed they had been contacted regarding the road. 

“Since the initial request was received, officers have met with the resident, driven the road to undertake inspections and have commenced an investigation to determine traffic volumes and vehicle speeds. The investigation is still underway,” a shire spokesperson said.

“Accurate costs cannot be determined without knowing the results of the investigation, but indicative costs to increase the seal are considerable, and would be outside Council’s financial capability without securing significant external funding. 

“Data also indicates that there would be other roads that would have a higher priority.

“Investigations will continue and the road will continue to be inspected and maintained in line with Council’s Asset Management and Road Management plans.”

The Nationals Member for Gippsland South, Danny O’Brien, also noted he had received complaints from residents about the road. 

While he acknowledged it is a shire-managed road, he said, “Upgrades to the Bena-Kongwak Road are the sort of thing that could be done under the Country Roads and Bridges program if it hadn’t been axed when the Labor Government came to power.”

“The axing of that program has cost South Gippsland Shire $8 million over the past eight years and has slowed works to improve country roads such as Bena-Kongwak.”