Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program (SLRIP)

Purpose and Program Overview

The Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program (SLRIP) is an Australian government funding program that supports projects to address current and emerging priorities in local road infrastructure, with a strong focus on improving road safety and productivity across Australia. The program commenced on 1 July 2024 and is designed to consolidate and streamline previous road funding initiatives, including the Bridges Renewal Program and Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program, into a single, more flexible framework.​

SLRIP provides at least $200 million per year to assist state and territory governments and Local Government Authorities (LGAs) to deliver safer, more resilient, and more efficient local road networks. The program aims to reduce fatalities and serious injuries, support freight and heavy vehicle movements, and ensure local road infrastructure keeps pace with community and economic needs.

SLRIP plays a broader role in supporting businesses and industry by improving the reliability, safety, and capacity of local roads that underpin freight, logistics, agricultural supply chains, tourism routes, and access to regional communities. By funding critical upgrades, renewals, and safety treatments, the program supports productivity, reduces transport costs, and enhances connectivity for businesses operating across both metropolitan and regional Australia.

Key Grant Details

• Grant amount or funding range:
  • Funding of at least $200 million per year is available under SLRIP nationally.​
  • Individual projects can generally seek up to $5 million per project, consistent with previous advice to councils on SLRIP project caps.
• Application open and close dates:
  • The program operates through application tranches.
  • Recent advice for one tranche indicates applications can be submitted until Monday, 30 June (year specified in the WALGA notice), with guidelines and forms unchanged for that tranche.​
  • Future rounds and tranche dates are set and announced by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (the Department).
• Eligible industries or business types:
  • The program is principally open to state and territory governments and Local Government Authorities (LGAs) as applicants.
  • Projects supported under SLRIP benefit a wide range of industries reliant on local road and bridge infrastructure, including freight, logistics, agriculture, mining, tourism and regional services.
• Required co-contributions:
  • SLRIP is structured as a co‑funded program where applicants (typically state governments or LGAs) are expected to contribute to project costs, with co‑funding ratios and requirements specified in the program guidelines or related application materials.
  • Co-contribution expectations may differ between jurisdictions or funding streams and should be confirmed in the current tranche guidelines and FAQs.​
• Location/state/territory applicability:
  • The program is open nationally to all states and territories and their local government authorities.​
  • Local Governments across Australia, including in Western Australia, are encouraged to apply for SLRIP funding.

Priority Sectors

• SLRIP does not nominate specific industry sectors as priority “sectors” but instead defines priority focus areas related to road infrastructure needs.
• Focus areas include projects that improve road safety, productivity, bridge renewal, road resilience, sustainability, and heavy vehicle rest areas, as well as other emerging road infrastructure priorities identified over time.
• As such, the program is effectively open to a broad range of sectors that depend on safe and efficient local road infrastructure, rather than being limited to particular industries.

Funding Scope

• Minimum and maximum amounts per project/stream:
  • National funding pool: at least $200 million per year available under SLRIP.​
  • At the project level, councils have been advised that funding of up to $5 million per project can be sought, subject to merit assessment and program guidelines.
• Categories or streams of funding:
  • SLRIP consolidates previous programs focused on bridges and heavy vehicles and now supports a range of project types, including
    • Bridge renewal, replacement, or strengthening.
    • Heavy vehicle safety and productivity improvements, including road geometry, pavement, and intersection upgrades.
    • Road safety improvements, such as treatments to reduce crash risk and improve conditions for all road users.
    • Road resilience involves works and projects that improve asset condition and network reliability.
    • Sustainability-focused infrastructure and heavy vehicle rest areas, including projects under the Heavy Vehicle Rest Area (HVRA) initiative that may be delivered alongside SLRIP.
• Project timeline or eligible funding duration:
  • Projects must be deliverable within the timeframes specified in each tranche, which are set out in the program guidelines and application materials.​
  • Applicants must demonstrate construction readiness and capacity to complete projects and meet reporting requirements within the specified program period.​

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible applicants:
  • State and territory governments.
  • Local Government Authorities (LGAs) across Australia.
• Core eligibility requirements (at the applicant and project level) typically include:
  • The applicant must be an eligible government entity or LGA recognised under relevant state or territory legislation.
  • The project must address at least one of the SLRIP focus areas relating to road safety, productivity, bridge renewal, resilience, sustainability or heavy vehicle rest areas.
  • The project must relate to public road or bridge infrastructure within the applicant’s jurisdiction and be additional to works already fully funded (i.e. not substituting existing committed works).
  • The applicant must be able to meet co‑funding requirements and demonstrate the capacity to deliver the project within the program timeframes.
  • Applications must be submitted using the approved application form (via systems such as the Infrastructure Management System, where relevant) and be complete, including all required attachments and data.
• Business structure or size:
  • The program is not generally open to private sector businesses to apply directly; instead, businesses may partner with or benefit indirectly from projects delivered by state or local governments.
• ABN/GST, insurance and compliance:
  • As a government-focused program, applicants are usually government entities already subject to statutory governance, insurance, WHS and procurement obligations; specific requirements are set out in the guidelines and funding agreements.​
  • Councils and road authorities must comply with relevant Australian Government terms, including reporting, data provision and compliance with applicable legislation and policies (e.g. safety, Indigenous participation where relevant).​

Eligible Activities and Expenses

SLRIP supports a wide range of infrastructure activities and project costs linked to safer and more productive local roads, including:

• Capital works on local roads and bridges, such as upgrades, renewals, replacements, widening and strengthening to improve safety, capacity and resilience.
• Safety treatments, including intersection upgrades, pavement improvements, shoulder sealing, barrier installations and other works that reduce crash risk and severity.
• Bridge renewal projects, including structural upgrades, replacement of aging assets and works that improve heavy vehicle access and load capacity.
• Heavy vehicle safety and productivity works, including road geometry improvements, rest area infrastructure and supporting facilities for freight and heavy vehicles.
• Projects that improve road resilience and sustainability, including treatments that enhance asset life, climate resilience and network reliability.

Program FAQs and guidelines also note that projects must be capital in nature and closely aligned with program objectives; operating or routine maintenance expenditure is generally not supported.​

Assessment Process

• Program structure:
  • SLRIP is an application-based, merit-assessed funding program rather than an automatic or entitlement-based scheme.​
  • Applications are assessed by the Australian Government against published criteria and focus areas.
• Assessment type:
  • Competitive and merit-based assessment, with projects competing within tranches for available funding based on their relative merit, strategic alignment and value for money.
• Key evaluation criteria (as outlined or implied in guidelines and FAQs):
  • Project merit and alignment with SLRIP objectives and focus areas, including road safety, productivity, resilience, sustainability and heavy vehicle outcomes.
  • Evidence of need, including data supporting the safety, productivity or network problem being addressed.​
  • Value for money, including cost‑effectiveness of treatments and the scale of benefits relative to costs.​
  • Construction readiness and deliverability, including realistic timelines, risk management and capacity to deliver within program timeframes.​
  • Compliance with program requirements, including co‑funding, data reporting and use of approved systems and forms.​

Recent Program Updates

• Program commencement and structure:
  • SLRIP commenced on 1 July 2024 as a new consolidated program replacing the previous Bridges Renewal Program and Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program.​
  • The program introduces broader focus areas to accommodate emerging road infrastructure needs while maintaining support for bridges and heavy vehicle projects.
• Extension of application timelines:
  • WALGA has advised that applications under a recent tranche can now be submitted until Monday, 30 June, with program guidelines and application forms remaining unchanged and submissions required through the Infrastructure Management System.​
  • This extension provides additional time for councils to finalise proposals while maintaining the same eligibility and assessment framework.​
• Ongoing national focus:
  • National and state-level road safety initiatives and audits have highlighted the importance of targeted infrastructure treatments, and SLRIP is one of the mechanisms supporting safer local road outcomes and productivity improvements across Australia.

Application Tips

• Confirm eligibility and alignment:
  • Confirm that the applicant is an eligible state or territory government or LGA and that the proposed project clearly addresses at least one of the SLRIP focus areas (safety, productivity, bridge renewal, resilience, sustainability or heavy vehicle rest areas).
  • Ensure the project is capital in nature and is additional to existing funded works, with no double‑funding from other Australian Government programs.​
• Prepare documentation early:
  • Prepare all required technical information, supporting data, cost estimates, design statuses and delivery plans in advance of the tranche closing date.
  • Use the prescribed application form and online systems (such as the Infrastructure Management System), and verify that all attachments are correctly uploaded before submission.
• Demonstrate merit, outcomes and value:
  • Clearly articulate the problem being addressed, using crash history, traffic data, freight volumes or asset condition information where available.
  • Describe the expected safety, productivity and resilience benefits, and show how the project aligns with local, state and national road safety and infrastructure priorities.
• Strengthen deliverability and compliance:
  • Provide realistic delivery timelines, staging and risk management approaches to demonstrate construction readiness.​
  • Confirm co‑funding sources and internal approvals and ensure compliance with relevant procurement, governance and reporting requirements set out in the program documentation.​
• Seek specialist support:
  • Consider consulting a grant specialist for a personalised eligibility assessment, project structuring advice and assistance in preparing a strong, compliant and competitive application.

Where to Get Help

Consider consulting a grant specialist for a personalised eligibility assessment and expert assistance in preparing a strong, compliant and competitive application. Contact Pattens Group today and get connected with Australia’s best grant specialist, boasting over 35 years of experience in the industry and a 100% success rate. For official guidelines, application details, templates, FAQs and the most up‑to‑date tranche information, applicants should refer to the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program page on the Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications website.