Country Roads Board

The Country Roads Board (CRB) was the government authority responsible for the construction and maintenance of main roads in the State of Victoria, Australia between 1913 and 1983.

The CRB was formed to take over responsibility from the Board of Lands and Works for the care and management of the main roads of the state. Until then there was a lack of co-operation between the agencies with operational responsibility for roads, the Roads and Bridges Branch of the Public Works Department and local municipalities, in the construction and maintenance of main roads. Expenditure of state funds was without proper supervision or a thorough investigation into actual needs. The absence of a systematic policy, as well as a lack of funds, had resulted in Victorian roads being in a deplorable condition. At this time the use of the motor car accentuated the demands for better roads.

As a result of these needs the Country Roads Act 1912 (No.2415) was proclaimed in 1913 establishing the Country Roads Board as a central road authority with responsibility for those roads within the State considered to be main roads.

The initial functions of the Board, set out in the 1912 Act, were:

After an initial investigation by the Board, construction guidelines were established and the letting of construction contracts, either directly by the Board or by municipal councils, proceeded by about 1915.

The responsibilities of the CRB expanded over time. Responsibility for major roads in Melbourne was shared with the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works, until all road responsibilities were passed to the CRB in 1974.

At various times other types of roads were proclaimed under legislation and subsequently came within the responsibility of the Country Roads Board. The Development Roads Act 1918 provided for the declaration of 'Developmental Roads', roads which would serve to develop any area of land by providing access to a railway station for primary producers. The Highways and Vehicles Act 1924 provided for the declaration of certain arterial roads as State Highways. The Tourists' Roads Act 1936 provided for the declaration of roads of sufficient interest or roads leading to tourist resorts or attractions as Tourists' Roads. The Country Roads Act 1956 enabled the Board to construct by-pass roads which became popularly known as freeways.

The first chairman of CRB was William Calder who remained in charge until his death in 1928.

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