About the project
We have investigated options to improve safety for pedestrians at the Huon Highway and Mountain River Road intersection.
The first stage of the project will improve pedestrian safety and access to bus stops while maintaining traffic flow on the Huon Highway.
We will investigate broader intersection changes and upgrades in future stages of the project while we prioritise upgrades along the Huon Highway.
Consultation and feedback results
The community was given the opportunity to provide feedback on four design options during a consultation period from May to June 2025.
The feedback received during consultation has been used to inform the finalised design.
View the Consultation and Feedback summary report.
What are we doing now?
Safety was the most frequently raised concern, with community feedback highlighting issues such as speed limits, limited visibility, and the need for safe pedestrian crossing points at the bus stops.
Changes to the design prioritise pedestrian safety and bus stop accessibility, and improve visibility for all road users.
After hearing your feedback, we are planning to:
- move the two current bus stops approximately 100m south of the intersection, to a straighter and flatter section of the Huon Highway
- install a new pedestrian island which will allow pedestrians to cross the highway in two stages, providing a safer and more manageable crossing
- install new street lighting to improve visibility for pedestrians and drivers
- install new footpaths and a road barrier to provide safe and direct access to and from the bus stops from Turn Creek and Mountain River Roads, which will help separate pedestrians from traffic.
These solutions are targeted to improve pedestrian safety ahead of longer-term, more substantial upgrades, and responds to the concerns of the community while avoiding major disruptions at the intersection.
Why did the design change?
We changed the design following community feedback that told us none of the four design options would be able to address all stakeholder concerns. We have taken elements of each design to develop a solution that addresses the most urgent safety concerns raised by the community.
We looked at potential upgrades that would result in substantial changes to the intersection, which included assessing the current traffic capacity. While we acknowledge there can be some delays leaving Mountain River Road, we found that the intersection is suitable for current traffic volumes.
We also found that larger upgrade options had several flaws, including impacts to local properties and services, significant time to design and deliver, and a high cost.
What are we doing next?
We will continue to monitor the intersection and will explore further stages and broader intersection changes as part of our ongoing commitment to improve safety along the Huon Highway.
Timing
We will now finalise the detailed design and progress with improvements to be able to deliver the upgrades as soon as possible.
Construction will start in early 2026.
1. Frequently Asked Questions
Is car parking included in this design?
We will continue to investigate ways to improve parking opportunities on Turn Creek Road; however, we need to work with Huon Valley Council as the road owner. Any parking upgrades will be completed after the pedestrian and bus stop safety improvements are complete.
Why aren't you installing traffic lights or a roundabout?
These options are not being considered as part of the project.
There is a steep downhill slope at the intersection and either traffic lights or a roundabout could increase the risk of rear-end crashes, especially for trucks that might struggle to brake going downhill.
These options would also slow down traffic flow on the Huon Highway and roundabouts can be challenging for pedestrians, cyclists and large vehicles to move around.
Both options would increase the cost and timeframe for the project, and a roundabout would also require extensive land acquisition from local landowners.
Will there be any changes to the speed limit?
The speed limit at this location was reduced from 100km/h to 80km/h in late March 2025. The design and proposed safety improvements include retaining the lowered speed limit.
What else is happening on the Huon Highway?
The Australian Government has committed $40 million to improve the length of the Huon Highway (between Kingston and Southport) as part of the Huon Highway Road Corridor Strategy.
The strategy includes a list of road improvement projects that will be delivered over the next 30 years and prioritises projects that will provide a safer, consistent driving environment along the highway.
We will continue to deliver the prioritised list of road improvements to meet the expected need of the road in the future.
Funding
The Tasmanian Government has committed $3 million to upgrade the Huon Highway/Mountain River Road intersection.
Accessibility
If you would like to find out more information and you have accessibility requirements, please contact the project team (details below).
You can find out more about Transport Services' commitment to accessibility.
Contact
Please contact our Stakeholder Engagement Specialist Holly Wilson on (03) 8668 3061 or by email: huonmountainriver@stategrowth.tas.gov.au