Tasman Highway - Great Eastern Drive
The Tasmanian Government has committed funding to upgrade the Great Eastern Drive as part of the Road Package to support Tasmania’s Visitor Economy.
The project will improve the driver experience, overall safety, and travel time reliability for all road users along this popular touring route. The project is underway. Some upgrades have been completed, some are being constructed, and some projects are scheduled to start work over the next few years.
1Construction - Current works
The next package of works on the Great Eastern Drive will improve safety and efficiency at junctions and entries to popular tourism experiences.
Works will start at the following locations in early August, and will be finished in in 2021, weather and other conditions permitting.
- Rosedale Road turn treatment
- Saltworks Road turn treatment
- Piermont turn treatment
- Freycinet Vineyard turn treatment
- East Coast Nature World turn treatment
- Cressy Beach turn treatment
- Pondering Frog turn treatment
- Swan River Road turn treatment
- Louisville Road junction
- Pontypool Road junction.
In July 2020 Gradco was announced as the successful tenderer for this package of works.
2Construction - Future works
There are more improvements planned for the Great Eastern Drive, including:
- road improvements and overtaking facilities between St Helens and Dianas Basin
- extension of the Great Eastern Drive to Binalong Bay Road, including upgrades to the road
- further safety improvements as required.
3Construction - Completed works
The first stage of works started in late 2018 and was finished in May 2019. The second stage started construction on 30 September 2019 and was finished in early 2020. The third stage of works started in March 2020, and were finished in June 2020.
Works included:
- improvements to the Coles Bay Road Left Turn Junction
- dedicated right turn lanes at Basin Creek and Flagstaff Road.
- installation of a northbound overtaking lane at Cranbrook (north of Glen Gala Road)
- four junction upgrades in the Beaumaris Beach area to:
- Beaumaris Beach
- Dark Hollow Creek
- Freshwater Street
- Skyline Drive
- Improvements to the pull over area at Four Mile Creek.
- Road widening and safety treatments, at junctions and entries to popular tourism experiences including at:
- Mariposa Beach
- Hughes Point Lookout
- Burgess Street in Bicheno
- Kelvedon Beach
- Rocky Hills Road Junction
- Rocky Hills Turn Out
- Avalon Junction
- Ironhouse Brewery access.
4Community consultation
During 2018 we asked the community to identify areas for improvement, highlight any safety concerns and make suggestions about how and where changes could be made. This information will inform a planning study that will provide the basis for future projects, subject to funding.
Contact
For further information about the project please contact the Project Manager, Stefano Conforti, on 6166 3379 or by email at: info@stategrowth.tas.gov.au