RACT WISH LIST

THE Bass Highway, the Midland Highway, tourist roads and a 10-year plan for greater Hobart roads are among the RACT’s priorities for the upcoming State Election.

Executive general manager membership and community Stacey Pennicott said the wishlist was informed by a survey completed by almost 7000 members, as well as crash data.

“Our members recently rated the standard of roads in Tasmania very poorly, giving them a mark of just 4.8 out of 10, so it is clear the condition of the state’s roads is an issue of some significance,” she said.

The RACT wants a 10-year plan in place for greater Hobart, including improved Eastern Shore approaches, fixes for traffic congestion and a new Bridgewater bridge.

The 70-year-old bridge has been beset by maintenance issues for years, with lifting-span malfunctions continuing after a multimillion-dollar upgrade.

The State Government has produced a revised $533 million Bridgewater bridge design, with hopes construction can begin in mid-2019 under

the next five-year round of Commonwealth infrastructure funding.

Other RACT priorities include:

SAFETY upgrades to multiple sites on the Bass Highway including Christmas Hills, Paramatta Creek and Wynyard to Marrawah.

TOURIST roads including Hastings Cave Rd, Wielangta Rd, Richmond Rd and the Arthur Highway at Eaglehawk Neck.

SAFETY upgrades on the Huon Highway-Sandfly junction, the East Tamar Highway at Alanvale and the West Tamar Highway.

The State Government and Labor welcomed the RACT’s priority list.

Infrastructure Minister Rene Hidding said the Government had committed to increase long-term average investment in public infrastructure including roads by 20 per cent if re-elected.

“I can also confirm we expect the Bridgewater bridge will be funded in the next fiveyear federal funding agreement in 2019,” he said.

Labor infrastructure spokesman Shane Broad said a Labor government would roll out a $60 million community roads package. “Labor is committed to working with communities and organisations like the RACT to improve Tasmania’s roads,” he said.