Alerts

Road and footpath repair

Road repairs and maintenance

Most roads have a lifespan of between 50 and 100 years. Many of the roads in Merri-bek are between 50 and 100 years old.

Because of this, we have increased our spending on road repairs and maintenance. We have allocated a higher proportion of our rates revenue on infrastructure to improve roads and related infrastructure in Merri-bek. We also advocate for increased funding from the state government to maintain and replace community infrastructure to help with this

Our Road Management Plan (2021) (PDF 854KB) outlines our system for inspecting, maintaining and repairing public roads in Merri-bek. We aim to make any roads reported to us safe within 3 working days of receiving the report.

Roads and footpaths managed by Council

Public roads and public footpaths within Merri-bek are the responsibility of either Merri-bek City Council or VicRoads.

You can find out which roads and footpaths are managed by Council in the below documents:

If a road or footpath is not in the above documents, this means it is the responsibility of VicRoads and you will need to contact them to report any issues.

How to report a damaged road

Before reporting a damaged road to us, first please check to see who the road is maintained by.

Road reconstruction

If a road is no longer serviceable or has structural problems, we will look to reconstruct the road. This reconstruction includes improving:

  • Asphalt or concrete surfaces including kerb and channel, footpaths, underground drainage, and vehicle crossovers or driveways
  • Pedestrian, cyclist, and motorist safety, including creating safe access for emergency services, eliminating corrugated and potholed surfaces, installing traffic management devices, providing safer intersections, upgrading street lighting, installing bike lanes and smoothing footpaths with pram crossings.
  • Traffic management and parking, including eliminating high crowns, improving access to properties, and improving disability access
  • Streetscapes, including nature strips and street trees

We aim to reduce road maintenance costs, reduce wear and tear on vehicles and improve private property values through reconstructing roads so they will last.

You can see the projects that are in process on our Current projects page. You can see the road projects we have completed on our Completed projects page.

Footpath repair and maintenance

We are responsible for maintaining and repairing most footpaths, kerb and channel, laneways, and footbridges in Merri-bek. We aim to make any footpaths reported to us safe within 3 working days of receiving the report.

How to report a damaged footpath

Although many of the footpaths in Merri-bek are our responsibility, we are not responsible for all footpaths as some are the responsibility of other bordering Councils or VicRoads.

You can check who is responsible for a footpath in the 

If the footpath is maintained by us, you can report an issue on our eServices website.

If the footpath is owned by a bordering Council you can contact them through their website. If the footpath belongs to VicRoads you can report the issue on the VicRoads website.

We aim to make the footpath or road safe within 3 working days of receiving the report.

Bluestone laneways

We value the network of bluestone laneways in our area as a community asset which is an important part of Merri-bek's heritage and urban character.

In 2013 we resolved to maintain our bluestone laneways and develop the 'Moreland: a Bluestone City’ policy.