Murchison Highway - Road improvements
We are upgrading the Murchison and Zeehan Highways as part of the Roads of Strategic Importance program.
The Murchison Highway and Zeehan Highway are the main and most direct routes for road users between Rosebery and Zeehan on Tasmania’s west coast.
These upgrades will provide a wider and safer road for all road users by curve widening, shoulder sealing, and gravel verges.
More formal overtaking opportunities and strategically located truck pull-off and load checking sites for heavy vehicle users will also be created. These sites will allow heavy vehicle operators space to safely check their loads.
The Murchison Highway has been progressively upgraded from Belvoir Road south to Sterling River Bridge to support future increased demand from mining and tourism traffic.
The Murchison Highway is a key freight and passenger route connecting the west and north regions of Tasmania. It is critical for the movement of freight to Burnie Port for export and to other locations within Tasmania. The majority of mining freight is moved via this road.
These upgrades will provide a wider and safer road for all road users by widening road curves and sealing shoulders and gravel edges.
More overtaking opportunities and strategically located truck pull-off and load checking sites for heavy vehicle users will also be created.
These sites will allow heavy vehicle operators space to safely check their loads.
These works include upgrading a 4.72 kilometre section of road on the Zeehan Highway between the Murchison Highway turnoff and Henty Main Road.
The upgrades will provide two 3 metre sealed lanes, 1 metre sealed shoulders and 0.5 metre gravel verges, with additional widening at corners, to improve road safety outcomes.
These upgrades will provide a wider and safer road for all road users by providing curve widening, shoulder sealing, and installation of gravel verges, as well as pull-over opportunities for heavy vehicles to check loads.
Stage 1 works started on Monday, 29 January 2024.
We will be working between 7:00 am and 6:00 pm, Monday to Friday. We will let you know if we need to work outside these times.
The expected project completion date is May 2025, weather permitting.
Works will stop between July and October 2024. Traffic management will still be in place during this time.
These works are a continuation of the road improvements which have previously been undertaken on the following sections of the Murchison Highway:
This project is funded by the Australian and Tasmanian Governments under the Roads of Strategic Importance Program.
If you would like to find out more information and you have accessibility requirements, please contact the engagement consultant (details below).
You can find out more about Transport Services' commitment to accessibility on our website here: https://www.transport.tas.gov.au/accessibility
If you have any questions, please contact our Stakeholder and Community Engagement Consultants Louella Horne on 0491 696 701 or Campbell Walker on 0482 166 711 or you can email Louella or Campbell at murchisonupgrade@stategrowth.tas.gov.au