With the Australian Government committing $150 million and the Tasmanian Government adding an additional $37 million, the duplication of the Tasman Highway causeways and McGees Bridge is now fully funded.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said following this announcement, preliminary works are expected to start in the coming weeks, with major construction on the first component due to begin in early 2021.
“The duplication of the causeways will deliver two lanes in each direction, with an additional bridge next to McGees Bridge and a 2.5-metre-wide shared pathway,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
“When complete, there will be a continuous four-lane highway between Hobart and Sorell.
“The Australian Government continues to roll out these types of nation-building projects across Australia under our $110 billion infrastructure investment program, which is laying the foundations for economic recovery following COVID-19.”
Tasmanian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Michael Ferguson said environmental investigations, design and community consultation on the duplication of the causeways will progress throughout 2021. Construction is expected to begin in 2023 and be completed in 2025.
“The South East Traffic Solution is jointly funded by the Tasmanian and Australian governments as part of the Roads of Strategic Importance program,” Minister Ferguson said.
“It consists of a suite of improvements on the Tasman Highway between the Hobart Airport and Sorell, as well as on the Arthur Highway, south of Iron Creek Bridge.
“This is another part of our plan to improve safety and travel time reliability on our roads for Tasmanians and visitors.”
Senator for Tasmania Claire Chandler said the joint investment into this major infrastructure project was an example of how the Federal Liberal-National and Tasmanian Liberal Governments were working together to deliver better outcomes for Tasmanians.
“This is a route which is beyond its current capacity and causes traffic to frequently come to a standstill around peak times. With the area continuing to grow and attract more families, it’s vital that we invest now to provide a highway which reduces the amount of time families in Sorell and the Southern Beaches spend sitting in traffic.
“This is a critical piece of work for the future of the region and that’s why the Morrison Government is investing $150 million for the duplication of the causeways on top of our existing investment in the full Sorell traffic corridor upgrade.”
The first South East Traffic Solution project, the Arthur Highway overtaking lane, was completed in February 2020. Early site preparation works have been completed at the Hobart Airport Interchange, with major construction expected to commence this week following the RMPAT decision to uphold the planning approval.
