On Road Policies …

Media release – Jeremy Rockliff, Premier, Minister for State Development, Trade and the Antarctic, Minister for Tourism and Hospitality, Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Member for Braddon; Michael Ferguson, Deputy Premier, Treasurer, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Planning, Member for Bass, 9 March 2024

Our 2030 Strong Plan For Northern Tasmanian Roads And Bridges

A re-elected majority Liberal Government will get Tasmanians home to their loved ones safer and sooner as part of our 2030 Strong Plan to build better roads across the State.

Premier, Jeremy Rockliff, said Tasmania’s increasing population, strong economy and prudent budget means we can upgrade more roads and bridges for Tasmanians living in the North.

“We’ve come a long way over the past 10 years, investing $2.2 billion to improve our roads, but we know there’s more to do,” he said.

“Tasmania has gone through a significant period of population and economic growth over the past decade, which has put pressure on our roads and bridges infrastructure.

“Our significant 2030 Strong Plan Roads and Bridges package will see new works commence under a re-elected majority Liberal Government, including:

• $80 million towards the construction of a new bridge across the Tamar River between Riverside and University Way at Newnham;
• $20 million towards the duplication of the Bass Highway into a consistent four-lane link between Launceston and Deloraine;
• $20 million for upgrades to the East Tamar Highway, including additional overtaking lanes, road-widening, intersection improvements and duplication of sections to two lanes in each direction;
• $20 million to upgrade the West Tamar Highway, completing the Legana duplication and associated works, and the Legana to Beauty Point section of the highway; and
• $5 million to upgrade Bridport Road.

Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Michael Ferguson, said that the Tasmanian Government had completed a business case for the construction of a second Tamar River crossing between the West Tamar Highway, to secure the necessary investment from the Australian Government to ensure this project proceeds.

“This strong commitment is in stark contrast to Labor, which has continually fought against this project for the people of Launceston, including through the 2021 election campaign when they thoroughly rejected the project,” the Minister said.

“The business case will be subject to a full and open public consultation on the potential preferred location and alignment.”

The 2030 Strong Plan package is in addition to road upgrades currently underway across the North, including the:

• $565 million Midland Highway 10-year Action Plan;
• $120 million Sideling Stage 1 upgrades and improvements, along the section of the Tasman Highway between Scottsdale and Launceston;
• $84 million East and West Tamar Highway upgrades and duplication between Freshwater Point Road and Acropolis Drive;
• $75 million Launceston and Tamar Valley traffic vision;
• $54 million Northern Regional State Roads upgrades for west of the Batman Bridge, Birralee Road and the eastern portion of Frankford Road; and
• Upgrades to Illawarra Road between Springfield to the Bass Highway.

“Only a re-elected majority Liberal Government with our 2030 Strong Plan will deliver safer and more efficient roads for all Tasmanians.”

Our 2030 Strong Plan For North West And West Coast Roads

A re-elected majority Liberal Government will get Tasmanians home to their loved ones safer and sooner as part of our 2030 Strong Plan to build better roads across the State.

Premier, Jeremy Rockliff, said Tasmania’s increasing population, strong economy and prudent budget means we can upgrade more roads and bridges for Tasmanians living in the North West and West Coast.

“We’ve come a long way over the past 10 years, investing $2.2 billion to improve our roads, but we know there’s more to do,” he said

“Tasmania has gone through a significant period of population and economic growth over the past decade, which has put pressure on our roads and bridges infrastructure.

“Our significant 2030 Strong Plan Roads and Bridges package will see new works commence under a re-elected majority Liberal Government, including:

• $10 million for upgrades to the Bass Highway between Deloraine and Devonport, including the Christmas Hills intersection, the Moriarty Road intersection and additional vehicle rest areas and overtaking lanes;
• $20 million duplication of the Bass Highway between Launceston and Deloraine, creating a consistent four lane link;
• Investigate a bypass at Elizabeth Town;
• $40 million for junction improvements, alignment changes and overtaking lanes, west of Wynyard;
• $10 million towards improvements on the Murchison and Zeehan highways including overtaking lanes, heavy vehicle pull-over areas, shoulder-sealing and curve-widening;
• $10 million towards safety and efficiency improvements to the Ridgley Highway, including overtaking lanes in both directions north and south of Hampshire, a south-bound overtaking opportunity at Hellyer River and upgrading the intersection with the Murchison Highway; and
• Invest in a second crossing of the Cam River subject to a successful feasibility study and Australian Government funding commitment.

Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Michael Ferguson, said that the 2030 Strong Plan package was in addition to road upgrades currently underway across the North West and West Coast, including:

• Upgrades between Devonport and Cradle Mountain;
• Upgrades to the Stanley Highway;
• Upgrades to the Lyell Highway between Queenstown and Strahan;
• Upgrades to the Zeehan Highway between Murchison Highway and Henty Main Road;
• Overtaking lanes and junction improvements on the Bass Highway at Edgcumbe Beach;
• Alignment improvements at Rocky Cape; and
• Junction improvements at Preolenna Road and Ewingtons Road Wynyard, Port Road and Blackaby’s Road, and Boat Harbour.

“Only a re-elected majority Liberal Government with our 2030 Strong Plan will deliver safer and more efficient roads for all Tasmanians.”

Our 2030 Strong Plan For Roads In Southern Tasmania

A re-elected majority Liberal Government will get Tasmanians home to their loved ones safer and sooner as part of our 2030 Strong Plan to build better roads across the State.

Premier, Jeremy Rockliff, said Tasmania’s increasing population, strong economy and prudent budget means we can upgrade more roads and bridges for Tasmanians living in the South.

“We’ve come a long way over the past 10 years, investing $2.2 billion to improve our roads, but we know there’s more to do,” he said.

“Tasmania has gone through a significant period of population and economic growth over the past decade, which has put pressure on our roads and bridges infrastructure.

“Our significant 2030 Strong Plan Roads and Bridges package will see new works commence under a re-elected majority Liberal Government, including:

• $20 million duplication of the Lyell Highway between Granton and New Norfolk;
• Assessing new freight route options between Brighton and Cambridge to reduce pressure on the Tasman Highway and East Derwent Highway;
• $20 million extension of the Southern Outlet transit lane from Tolmans Hill to Kingston, providing priority and emergency lanes;
• $1 million to investigate a new Domain Highway/Brooker Highway interchange, a known traffic congestion choke point and crash hot spot;
• $6 million to upgrade Wielangta Road, replacing the Griffiths Rivulet, and Seventeen Acre Creek Bridges;
• $20 million upgrades between the Midland Highway intersection at Bridgewater, to the eastern end of the Bowen Bridge, including interchange improvements and duplication of lanes;
• $15 million towards additional traffic lanes and the extension of turning lanes in both directions on the Brooker Highway to alleviate traffic congestion;
• $1 million contribution towards remediation of the Sorell Rivulet Bridge in Sorell; and
• $20 million to upgrade the Mornington Roundabout.

Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Michael Ferguson, said the 2030 Strong Plan package was in addition to road upgrades currently underway across the South, including the:

• $350 million South-East Traffic Solution between Sorell and Hobart;
• $786 million new Bridgewater Bridge;
• $565 million Midland Highway, 10-year Action Plan;
• $217.8 million Greater Hobart Traffic Solution to manage peak commuter demand in the Hobart area, specifically the Southern Outlet;
• $130 million Tasman Bridge Pathways project, enabling safe and efficient pedestrian, cycling and other active transport options across the Derwent;
• $50 million upgrades to the Arthur Highway;
• $55 million upgrade to the Algona Roundabout;
• $60 million duplication of South Arm Road from Pass Road to the south of the Rokeby commercial district, and upgrades to the Acton Road intersection; and
• $29.2 million construction of a new road around the eastern side of the Huonville township.

“Only a re-elected majority Liberal Government with our 2030 Strong Plan will deliver safer and more efficient roads for all Tasmanians.”

Editor’s note: there is no Southern Tasmania, though there is a southern Tasmania. There is no West Coast, though there is a west coast. Etc. Frankly too tired to fix the errors of the half-wit who wrote this.

Rebecca White MP, Tasmanian Labor Leader, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, 9 March 2024

Road announcements highlight Liberal broken promises

Tasmanians have learned the hard way that you can’t trust the Liberal party to deliver – their track record on infrastructure over the past 10 years is one of delays, blow outs and broken promises.

The Midland Highway was promised in 2014 and is still not done in 2024.

Michael Ferguson has been talking about a new Tamar Bridge for just as long, with Will Hodgman announcing it as the “centrepiece” of the Liberals vision in 2018, and Peter Gutwein calling it a “vital” project in 2021 (see attached).

And who can forget the underground bus mall?

The Liberals have now brought many of these same infrastructure promises to three elections, but failed to deliver.

After 10 years in office, how can Tasmanians trust anything the Liberals say?

Labor will deliver on the projects we commit to – working with the Federal Government to upgrade Tasmanian roads and keep Tasmanians safe.