Brooker Highway works to start as freight route upgrades progress

Roadworks to strengthen Bridgewater-bound lanes of the Brooker Highway near the Claremont Link Road overpass will start next week. 

The project is jointly funded under the Australian and Tasmanian Governments’ Freight Capacity Upgrade Program, which is strengthening bridges and roads across the State to provide improved access and reliability for the heavy vehicle freight industry. 

Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Kerry Vincent, said our Government is delivering for Tasmania.  

“Significant progress has been made under the five-year, $100 million program, with 22 of the 38 planned road strengthening projects completed to date, and a further five currently under construction,” Minister Vincent said.

“The program supports a more productive and efficient freight industry by providing freight operators increased safe operating loads, more predictable travel time, optimising road asset life, and reducing maintenance costs.

“We look forward to achieving more milestones under the program in 2026 and the benefits it will deliver across the State.”

The program will continue into 2026, with contracts either recently awarded or to be awarded in the coming months for a further 10 sites. This will include strengthening sections of road on the Brooker, Tasman, Huon, Lyell, Midland, and Ridgley highways, as well as several regional roads.

Of the 37 planned bridge strengthening sites included in the program, eight have been completed to date, with a further four expected to be completed by the end of 2025, including:

*    Don River Bridge, Sheffield Road, Acacia Hills;
*    Allans Creek Bridge, Arthur Highway, Taranna;
*    Norfolk Creek Bridge, Arthur Highway, Taranna; and
*    Wivenhoe Rail Underpass, Bass Highway, Wivenhoe.

Sixteen bridge strengthening sites are either currently under construction or have been awarded a contract for construction, 10 of which are expected to start by early 2026. 

Work on the Brooker Highway site will take place from 6:30pm to 6:30am, Sunday evening to Friday morning each week. With major construction beginning on November 3 and wrapping up in late December. 

Some delays are expected, with a reduced speed limit and lane closures in place. Road users are reminded to keep to the posted speed limit and follow the directions of traffic controllers and signs. 

A full list of project locations and more information about the Freight Capacity Upgrade Program is available on the Transport website.