Upgrades to the Tasman Bridge will not go ahead as first proposed, the Premier has revealed, as the initial plans would now “cost far more than the project’s budget”.
Work on the bridge, which connects Hobart’s eastern and western shores, was scheduled to begin in mid-2023 and be completed by the end of 2025.
However, it could now be several years before progress is made to improve access for pedestrians and cyclists.
The main feature of the initial designs was the construction of a 3.5-metre-wide pathway on both sides of the bridge.
The state government has now scrapped this idea, instead opting to install “localised passing bays” at set intervals along the existing walkways.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff said detailed engineering reports found that the upgraded pathways “cannot be installed along the full length of the bridge without significantly modifying its structure”, which would lead to a budget blowout.
“This project is first and foremost about protecting human safety and that is what we will deliver,” he said.
“The Tasmanian Government has identified a workable solution that will take less time, cause less disruption and can be delivered under the project budget.”
New plans, to be made public soon, will show the bridge with a three-metre-high safety barrier on the water side and a 1.4-metre-high roadside barrier along the length of the bridge.
“Importantly, we are continuing work on the strengthening of the bridge’s deck to maintain the lifespan of the bridge and allow the current high volume of traffic to continue for many years to come,” Rockliff said.
“We will also upgrade the bridge’s lane use management system, to be delivered as a separate project, to better manage traffic during peak periods and incidents.’’
The project will also explore the possibility of creating one-way paths in each direction to improve access for users.
A spokesperson for Bicycle Network Tasmania said it was disappointing the “promised safe, comfortable paths” will no longer be built.
“This is in stark contrast to the 3.5m wide paths promised for both sides of the bridge, designs for which were released for public comment in 2021,” they said.
“It boggles the mind that the government could have gone out publicly with designs for public comment before the appropriate engineering investigations had been completed.”
The upgrades are part of a larger $130 million project funded by the Australian and Tasmanian governments.
Consultation on the proposed pathway upgrades will begin by the end of 2024, with connections and higher barriers set to be installed in 2025.
