Tasman Bridge Pathways Upgrade
We are making the Tasman Bridge pathways safer for people who walk, wheel and ride.
About the project
We have been completing investigations and further assessments to better understand what improvements can be made to the Tasman Bridge.
We will be making the Tasman Bridge safer for pathway users by delivering a range of improvements.
This project will focus on:
- raising the height of the safety barriers on both sides of the bridge pathways
- improving pathway connections on the eastern and western shores
- maximising the available width for pathway users, including installing passing bays
- exploring one-way pathway options with key stakeholders.
We are currently seeking feedback on the eastern shore pathway connections (please see community consultation section below).
We will start community consultation on the bridge pathways and barrier designs in mid-2025, with construction planned to start later in 2025, and be complete in late 2026.
Background
Detailed investigations show that the planned, wider pathways cannot be installed along the full length of the bridge without significantly modifying its structure. This work is not funded and would cost far more than the project’s budget. We know this news will be disappointing for people who wish to use the pathways. We wanted to build wider pathways to support more walking, wheeling and riding. The pathways will not be significantly widened as part of this project, except in short areas to assist passing.
The Tasman Bridge is an iconic structure, and we actively manage it every day to keep it safe for users, including through regular maintenance inspections.
We are continuing work on the strengthening of the bridge’s deck to maintain the lifespan of the bridge and to allow for the current high volume of traffic to continue for many years to come. The bridge’s lane use management system will also be upgraded, delivered as a separate project, to help us better control traffic during peak periods and incidents. Additional planning work will make recommendations on what needs to be done to manage the bridge for the rest of its life and what the future of the crossing should be.
Community consultation: May 2025, Eastern Shore Pathway Connections
We are currently seeking feedback on the concept design below for the eastern shore pathway connections.
Image: Proposed eastern shore pathway connections.
The first stage is a shared path underneath the Tasman Bridge on the eastern shore. This will improve connections to the bridge pathways from Conara Road and Topham Street. We will install a bike safety fence on the uphill sections of the shared path, bollards, a privacy fence next to two residences, as well as landscaping.
Please provide your feedback via email to tasmanbridgepathways@stategrowth.tas.gov.au or by phone on 03 6210 0662 by 23 May 2025. Your feedback will be used to finalise the designs, with construction of the eastern shore pathway connections planned to start in mid-2025.
We will start community consultation on the bridge pathways and barrier designs in mid-2025, with construction planned to start later in 2025, and be complete in late 2026.
The first phase of community consultation on the Tasman Bridge Pathways Upgrade project was completed on Tuesday, 19 July 2022.
We published the findings in the Tasman Bridge Pathways Upgrade Consultation and Feedback Summary Report (PDF file).
Timing
This project will be built in stages. The pathway connections to the bridge will be improved first, to lessen the impact on pathway users when we later close one pathway at a time to install the higher safety barriers.
We are currently seeking feedback from the community on the concept design for the eastern shore pathway connections (please see image above). Please provide feedback by 23 May 2025. Construction of the eastern shore pathway connections is planned to start in mid-2025.
We will start community consultation on the bridge pathways and barrier designs in mid-2025, with construction planned to start later in 2025, and be complete in late 2026.
FAQs: Eastern Shore Pathway Connections
What improvements will be made on the eastern shore?
We are currently seeking feedback on the designs for a two-metre-wide shared path underneath the Tasman Bridge on the eastern shore. This will improve connections to the bridge pathways from Conara Road and Topham Street.
We will install a bike safety fence on the uphill sections of the shared path, bollards, and a privacy fence next to two residences, as well as landscaping.
These upgrades will make it easier for people to walk, wheel or ride to access the Tasman Bridge pathways.
We have been working with the City of Clarence to progress these designs.
What improvements will be made on the western shore?
We will work with the City of Hobart and other key stakeholders to see what improvements can be made on the western shore, including improvements to wayfinding.
What work is being done now?
We will construct the project in stages. Improving pathway connections to the bridge first will allow us to maintain access to one bridge pathway while higher safety barriers are installed on the other pathway.
We are currently seeking feedback on pathway connections to the Tasman Bridge on the eastern shore.
We recently completed investigations on the Tasman Bridge pathways which will inform the designs of the barrier and pathway upgrades. We will be seeking feedback on these designs soon.
When will works start and finish?
We will start construction of the eastern shore pathway connections mid-2025 and Tasman Bridge pathway upgrades later in 2025 once designs have been finalised, and all pathway upgrades should be completed in late 2026.
Funding
$130 million in funding has been committed by the Australian and Tasmanian governments for the Tasman Bridge Upgrade project.
FAQs: Tasman Bridge Pathways
What are the project benefits?
This upgrade will make the Tasman Bridge safer for pathway users.
This project will focus on:
- installing higher safety barriers on both sides of the pathways
- improving pathway connections on the eastern and western shores
- installing passing bays on the bridge pathways
- exploring one-way pathway options with key stakeholders.
We will also be completing bridge strengthening of the bridge’s deck to maintain the lifespan of the bridge and to allow the current high volume of traffic to continue for many years to come. The bridge’s lane use management system will also be upgraded, delivered as a separate project, to help us better control traffic during peak periods and incidents.
Why can’t wider pathways be installed on the Tasman Bridge?
The original proposal was to build wider pathways on both sides of the bridge to support more walking, wheeling and riding. To build wider pathways we would need to make changes to the structure of the bridge, including major reinforcing and strengthening work of the bridge’s foundations. This is significant work that is not funded under the current project budget.
Our planned upgrades will still improve access and safety on the pathways.
If you are strengthening the bridge, why can’t you add the pathways?
The strengthening we will be doing is on the bridge deck, to maintain its lifespan.
This is separate to the significant structure modifications, including major foundation reinforcing and strengthening that would be required to build wider pathways, which is not funded under the current project budget.
Video update - September 2024
Is the bridge safe to use?
Yes, the Tasman Bridge is safe to use. The Tasman Bridge was built to a design life of 100 years. We complete regular and extensive inspections and maintenance on the bridge as part of our ongoing management of this critical asset. The Tasman Bridge is inspected at least twice a week, and any maintenance issues are logged and scheduled for repair. Regular inspections and reports are part of our extensive program of planning, monitoring and maintenance to ensure this critical link in Hobart’s transport network remains in good shape for decades to come.
What are you doing about the future of the crossing?
We are continuing to look at what needs to be done to manage the bridge for the rest of its life. We are also looking at the future of crossing, given that adding another lane to the bridge is not a viable option to cater for any future traffic increase.
We are doing some planning work to make recommendations on what needs to be done to manage the bridge for the rest of its life and identify appropriate ways to meet Hobart’s long term transport needs.
What is a lane use management system?
A lane use management system automates the switchover of the central lane of the bridge. This will improve flexibility in managing traffic during incidents and congestion. It will also improve safety for road users and bridge workers, by removing the need for field crew to be physically on the road to move bollards to switch the central lane.
When will work on the project start?
It is proposed to construct the project in stages. To allow the installation of higher safety barriers, the pathways connections on the eastern and western shores will be improved first. This work will start in 2025 and will allow access to be maintained on one bridge pathway while higher safety barriers are installed on the other pathway.
If you or someone you know is experiencing distress, seek help and support from:
- A Tasmanian Lifeline (1800 98 44 34 – 8am to 8pm)
- Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467)
- Lifeline (13 11 14)
In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000).
Accessibility
If you would like to find out more information and you have accessibility requirements, please contact the project team on the email below.
You can find out more about Transport Services' commitment to accessibility on our website here: https://www.transport.tas.gov.au/accessibility
Contact
If you have any questions, please contact the project team at tasmanbridgepathways@stategrowth.tas.gov.au.