Hobart CBD bypass too expensive and legally fraught

Commuting a more sensible way forward, writes John Livermore

Bob Cotgrove’s advocacy of a bypass to Hobart’s CBD (Talking Points, January 19) is not only flawed, it was rejected as an option in the GHD Hobart Feasibility Study Department of State Growth summary in 2020.

This considered alternative traffic routes through Hobart, including a bypass and tunnels. Traffic modelling by the consultants found that a bypass connection between the Southern Outlet and Brooker and Tasman highways was capable of reducing the Macquarie-Davey street traffic by up to half, with a travel time saving of up to four minutes.

However, with an estimated unescalated cost of more than $3.3bn, compared to the travel time savings, a bypass would be considered unfundable by both the Tasmanian and federal governments.

This conclusion was reached after considering potential financing options including public-private partnerships and tolling the use of the bypass over a 30-year period, including five years for construction. The cost of using the bypass to the Tasmanian government was estimated at $31 for a one-way trip.

Traffic and financial modelling found that less than 2 per cent of the annual cost of the bypass could be recovered from tolls which would leave the taxpayer to subsidise the remaining 98 per cent of the capital and operating costs. Charging a toll people were prepared to pay (based on travel time savings) would only recover the cost of operating the tolling infrastructure, and also discourage around half the people who would otherwise use the bypass.

In addition, there would be significant impacts to Hobart’s existing land use, heritage listed precincts and buildings. The effect on the visual results from building the bypass were considered to be prohibitive and legal challenges to the approval process were likely.

A State Growth Traffic Origin Destination Report 2017 cites a 2016 study of traffic movements passing through Hobart. This showed that during morning peak time more than 75 per cent of journeys started in the east, north or south of Hobart ended in the city. During the afternoon peak more than two-thirds of journeys ending in the east, north or south

began in the city. In the Congestion in Greater Hobart: Responses to Issues 2011 report, the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources commented that tunnels and bypasses were “vastly out of proportion to the traffic issues and reflects an infrastructure approach rather than a network or system-wide perspective to address traffic issues”.

The State Growth Hobart Transport Vision for 2018-2030 clearly states, “Constructing more roads alone will not solve the problem. It will simply create more traffic, more inner congestion and reinforce our reliance on the car. Increasing the proportion of the population using public transport will reduce traffic congestion across the entire road network”.

The Legislative Council Select Committee on Greater Hobart Traffic Congestion 2021 in its final report noted that the issue of congestion is not an insurmountable problem. This report concluded, “Evidence suggests solutions are required that achieve a modal shift of between 10 and 15 per cent of the commuting population to effectively address congestion”. It went on to say, “Not all commuters need to change established trip habits. Significant benefits could be realised by a modest percentage of commuters being provided with a greater opportunity to engage with public or active transport for some trips”.