West Tamar Highway Upgrades

Tuesday, 22 September 2020

The Tasmanian Government is committed to maintaining the liveability of communities along the West Tamar Highway by reducing travel times through a more efficient, safer road network.

In January 2018, the Tasmanian Government released a six-point plan to improve traffic flow and cater for future development along the West Tamar Highway.

The Rosevears Drive to Gravelly Beach Road project, which includes road widening and intersection improvements, is one of the West Tamar Highway upgrade projects. The Rosevears Drive to Gravelly Beach Road project will widen the West Tamar Highway between Rosevears Drive and Gravelly Beach Road.

The existing narrow shoulder will be replaced with shoulders of between 1.0 and 1.5 metres wide. Works also include intersection improvements as outlined below, installation of a concrete footpath between Rosevears Drive and Gravelly Beach Road and upgrades to stormwater and drainage infrastructure.

Gravelly Beach Road A dedicated right turn lane will be installed at the intersection of Gravelly Beach Road to allow vehicles waiting to turn right to be sheltered from through traffic.

The metal fence on the corner of Gravelly Beach Road and the West Tamar Highway will be moved back and vegetation cleared to improve the sight distance for vehicles turning right onto the highway from Gravelly Beach Road.

We acknowledge that there are members of the community who would like to see a roundabout constructed at the intersection of the West Tamar Highway and Gravelly Beach Road.

As part of our normal design development procedure, we looked into a variety of intersection upgrade options, including installing a roundabout at this intersection.

A new roundabout would need to be constructed to meet current Austroads standards and would require significant property acquisition and vegetation removal. The majority of vegetation that would need to be removed is part of a Threatened Native Vegetation Community (Eucalyptus ovata), which is a key habitat for the swift parrot.

The swift parrot is listed as endangered under both the Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 and the Commonwealth's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, and any potential impact on this vegetation community would require assessment and approval under both Acts, resulting in a significant delay to the project.

The cost of installing a roundabout is also much higher than what has been allocated for this project, and this increased cost would prevent us from completing other planned upgrades to the highway.

Killara Avenue A dedicated right turn lane will be installed at the intersection of the highway and Killara Avenue to allow vehicles waiting to turn right to be sheltered from through traffic. Vegetation directly across from the intersection will also be cleared to allow for road widening and to improve sight lines.

Rosevears Drive A dedicated right turn lane will be installed at the intersection of the highway and Rosevears Drive to allow vehicles waiting to turn right to be sheltered from through traffic. The left turn lane into Rosevears Drive will also be extended.

Have your say The preliminary design for the project is now available for viewing on the Transport website at www.transport.tas.gov.au/road/projects.

The design can also be viewed in person from Monday, 21 September 2020 until Friday, 2 October 2020: West Tamar Council – Riverside Office 2-4 Eden Street, Riverside Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 am - 4:45 pm

Feedback on the preliminary design can be provided via: Email: [email protected] Post: GHD, GPO Box 667, Hobart TAS 7001 In person:

Download a feedback form from the project website (www.transport.tas.gov.au/road/projects). Feedback forms are also available from the Council office. Feedback must be received by Friday, 2 October 2020.

For more information about the project, please contact GHD on 6210 0662 or email [email protected].