The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to delivering on our Plan to ease traffic congestion.
Our Plan includes a $35 million investment by the Tasmanian Government to significantly improve traffic flow on the Southern Outlet by including a fifth lane.
The new lane will provide for more room on the road, and give priority to public transport and emergency vehicles. It will also incentivise public transport options in and out of the city by ensuring commuters using public transport reach their destination quickly and reliably.
This investment dovetails with our prompt action to take over Davey and Macquarie Streets to implement traffic management solutions in one of Hobart’s busiest couplets.
The release of a feasibility study, commissioned by the Department of State Growth, highlights the complex nature of the project, which will require an extensive community consultation process before a final design is agreed.
I am pleased to announce that today the first phase of consultation gets underway, including an interactive map where people can have their say.
Importantly, while the options identified in the feasibility study demonstrate that the project is possible; the final design may vary significantly from the initial concept, after community consultation, planning and scoping have been undertaken. Seeking the views of the community in the early stages of the process is a crucial step.
I encourage all Tasmanians who regularly commute on the outlet to engage in this early consultation period, to ensure that this large and complex project will be shaped by the community, and the people who will benefit.
A link to the interactive map can be found here: https://www.transport.tas.gov.au/road/projects/southern_outlet_bus_lane