The State Government will spend $2.4 million to install guard fencing and wire rope safety barriers, improve signage and line markings, remove trees and relocate power poles.

Roads Minister Tim Pallas made the long awaited announcement in Morwell on Tuesday.

Works will commence early next year and are expected to be complete by the end of 2009, according to Mr Pallas.

The funding announcement follows a long campaign for the road to be upgraded, which started after two Thorpdale teenagers were killed in separate crashes on the road.

In 2003, 18 year-old Tim Bright was killed when the car in which he was a passenger crashed, while in December 2006, 18 year-old Melanie Johnston died when the car she was driving hit a tree.

Melanie's parents Geoff and Lesley Johnston started the campaign to improve the road in a bid to stop similar accidents occurring.

Mr Johnston told The Express he was ``blown away'' to learn funding had been secured to improve the road.

``It shows if there is an issue you are passionate about, you can make a difference,'' he said.

Mr Johnston said police, local state MPs, Coroners Court staff, VicRoads and The Express had all banded together with the community in a bid to improve the road.

He said it was teamwork that had helped get the end result.

``There have been some people that have done some extraordinary things,'' Mr Johnston said.

``Everyone took heed of what we were trying to put through and worked together to get this issue resolved to make it safer for the general public.

``It was a great team effort and everyone got behind it and it will be safer for the community.''

The entire stretch of road between the Strzelecki Highway and Thorpdale will be upgraded.

Mr Pallas said funding for the Morwell-Thorpdale Road was about ``making sure that the road's run-off risks are substantially reduced''.

``We've had two fatalities on that road over the last five years and taking efforts to remove those run-off road risks... really is our way of assuring the community that we are focused on making the roads as safe as they can be, particularly this road that has an accident history causing concern to the local community,'' he said.

Mr Pallas said the push from the community for the road to be upgraded had played a part in securing the funding.

``They wanted the government to look at it, the government recognised that problem and we have acted to assist the community to achieve the sort of road safety preparations that they see as important.''

However Liberal MLA for Narracan Gary Blackwood was frustrated the works would not begin until next year.

``It's (the funding) great news and it indicates the good work the Johnston family did with the petition that they got though, which was signed by more than 2000 people,'' he said.

``For the families that have suffered tragedy on the road and the communities that use the road it will be safer, and I'm pleased the whole road is going to be upgraded, given it is used by heavy vehicles, school buses and families in cars.

``But I'm disappointed it's still not going to happen until 2009, which is two years since the petition was put together.''

Nationals MLA for Morwell Russell Northe said it had been a long haul for the Thorpdale community to make the road safer.

``This upgrade is a wonderful result, not only for the Johnston family but for the Thorpdale community,'' he said.