Media release – Michael Ferguson, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, 28 June 2023
Public has say on upgrading East Tamar Highway
The Rockliff Liberal Government is building safer and more efficient roads around Tasmania.
The public has identified a range of improvements to safety and efficiency, active transport, freight capacity and provision for future growth as priorities for East Tamar Highway upgrades.
Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Michael Ferguson, said the feedback was gathered during an extensive community consultation in October and November last year and has been compiled into a report, which is now available on the Transport website.
“A total of 418 individual comments were received during the consultation via an online interactive map, phone calls, emails and feedback forms,” Mr Ferguson said.
“Most common were calls for increased speed limits on straight sections of the highway, provision of cycling lanes, increased road and shoulder widths, truck rest stops and improved safety at key intersections along the length of the highway.
“This feedback, along with technical assessments undertaken by the Department of State Growth, will be used to develop a strategy to improve the highway from Launceston to George Town.
“Improvements to the East Tamar Highway are likely to include safety improvements such as road-widening and intersection works, extra overtaking opportunities and duplication of sections and support for active transport.
“The East Tamar Highway Corridor Strategy will prioritise upgrades, with individual projects to be delivered in future based on available budget allocations, and is expected to be released in late 2023.
“Enhancing this section of the East Tamar Highway is part of a joint commitment to improving highways in the north of the state to improve safety and efficiency on these key routes,” he said.
The Australian and Tasmanian Governments have committed a total of $420 million to fund upgrades to the East Tamar, West Tamar and Bass highways under the Northern Roads Package Stage Two program.
The exact portion of these funds to be spent along the East Tamar Highway is still to be finalised.
Further information including the consultation report can be found at www.transport.tas.gov.au/easttamarstrategy
Graham Kent
June 30, 2023 at 05:02
Lots of words, but the future requires better public transport. As always from this government, there is no mention of this, just more millions spent on roads that are getting more and more clogged every day.
George Murray
June 30, 2023 at 15:19
What I would like to know is when the Batman Hwy on the western side of the Batman bridge is going to be finished. Construction has been ongoing for at least two years, and the road is still in a dangerous state due to crumbling edges causing trucks to take up more than one lane. I have had some close encounters where I have had to pull off the bitumen to allow trucks to get past.
It is a sad state of affairs that this has gone on as long as it has. I hope you will find some way to rectify this issue.