Focus on reopening roads safely
Roads across the state have been impacted by the January 2026 Victorian bushfires. We are working with the emergency services to inspect roads, prioritise repairs and reopen when it is safe.
16/01/2026
More than one hundred local and arterial roads are closed across the state as a result of the January 2026 Victorian bushfires.
The number one priority is community safety and we cannot reopen a road until it has been deemed safe to do so.
Bushfires can damage road surfaces, safety barriers, signage, markings and bridges.
Once a bushfire is under control, emergency services and environmental specialists can turn their focus to opening roads.
Arborists and other specialists undertake environmental assessments and remove hazardous trees before our Transport Victoria crews begin work.
Our first task is to inspect the road, remove debris, repair the road surface, and replace damaged safety barriers and road signage to get the road reopened.
While we do this our crews are assessing what longer term repairs are required.
Some roads will reopen in a few days, whereas other roads with more significant damage or in active fire grounds will take longer.
Once roads reopen, please be sure to drive to the posted speed limit and conditions – in some cases roads will require longer term repairs to return to their original condition.
As part of State and Federal Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, $82 million will be invested to restore and repair state roads and public transport infrastructure damaged by the January 2026 Victorian bushfires.
The funding will ensure critical transport links are restored for regional communities, which rely on safe and accessible roads.
There has been a significant impact not only on the road surfaces but also critical roadside and safety infrastructure including barriers, signage and vegetation as well as the strain to roads from heavy machinery used for tree clearing on the roads.
Look out for Transport Victoria crews out repairing wire rope and guard rails, cleaning up trees and debris, making sure signage remains intact and undertaking road repairs.
For the most up-to-date information on road closures in bushfire affected communities visit the VicTraffic website.
For incident warnings and updates, visit the VicEmergency website or use the VicEmergency app.