2.5.2  National highways

Of Australia's 34,656 km of national highways (which include the National Land Transport Network highways and other key freight routes) identified in the Audit, 4,062 km (12 per cent) are in Victoria. These roads accounted for 27 per cent of movements on the national highway network in 2011. National highways in Victoria include the following national highway links connecting the capital cities:

■  Melbourne to Sydney (Hume Highway Route 31);

■  Melbourne to Brisbane (Goulburn Valley Highway Route 39); and

■  Melbourne to Adelaide (Western Highway Route 8).

Figure 67 shows the National Land Transport Network highways and the other key Victorian freight routes included in the Audit. Together these routes play an important role in facilitating industry and enabling business and community activity.

Figure 67: National Land Transport Network highways and key freight routes in Victoria 2011

  National Land Transport Network Highway

  Key Freight Route

The map shows highways identified in the Audit. Data was not available for all of these highways. 

Source: ACIL Allen Consulting (2014a)

Two per cent of Victoria's roads have a 1-star safety rating under the Australian Road Assessment Program (AusRAP), while 33 per cent are 2-star rated and 60 per cent are 3-star rated. The highest attainable rating is five stars.

The DEC of Victoria's national highways is projected to increase from $1.5 billion in 2011 to $2.2 billion in 2031.