Long-awaited airport overpass opens to traffic
LONG-SUFFERING commuters will have their journeys shortened by the opening of a new overpass near Hobart airport on Tuesday.
The major work in the $46m road upgrade was commissioned on Tuesday, eight years after it was first promised and $16m over the original budget.
Announced as a $30m election pledge by the then Turnbull Coalition government in 2016, Liberal
Senator for Tasmania, Jonno Duniam hailed the interchange as a “major milestone”.
“From today, through traffic on the Tasman Highway will be able to travel through the Hobart Airport Interchange without interruption,” he said.
The interchange project is part of the $350m South East Traffic Solution, jointly funded by the Australian and Tasmanian governments.
Deputy Premier Michael Ferguson
said there was still some work to do on the ramps and roundabout connecting the highway with Kennedy Drive and Holyman Avenue – which would be completed in coming months.
“The South East Traffic Solution comprises six key projects that will create a four-lane highway between Sorell and Hobart’s CBD,” he said.
In addition to the interchange is the Sorell Southern Bypass, which will provide a direct link between the Tasman and Arthur Highways.
The second is the Midway Point Intersection Solution, which will provide signals at the Tasman Highway’s key junction with Penna Road and four lanes of traffic through Midway Point.
Planning and design was continuing on the duplication of the two causeways either side of Midway Point and duplication of the Tasman Highway between the airport interchange and the Midway Point causeway, Mr Ferguson said.