A five-year program to increase the capacity of Tasmania’s bridges and roads will make open up more areas of the state for logistic and industrial development, proponents say.
The island state’s $100-million Freight Capacity Upgrade Program, funded by the Federal and Tasmanian governments, will upgrade or replace 38 bridges, increasing capacity and weight limits.
The Federal Government is providing $80 million and the Tasmanian Government $20 million.
To date, 15 projects have been completed uder the program including Pipers River Bridge in the state’s north-east, and parts of the Bass, Midland, Lyell and Huon highways.
As part of the program, a $2.2-million contract has been awarded to construction company Fulton Hogan to nine bridges. Tenders are open currently for a further 12 bridges.
Six of the first nine bridges to be targeted are in Tasmania’s north-west, spanning Argent Rive, Arthur River, Mole Creek, Leslie Station Creek, Don River and Pardoe Creek. The other three cross Wellards Creek, Norfolk Creek and Allans Creek in the south-east.
Work has begun at eight of those sites, and construction on the ninth, Leslie Station Creek, is due to begin this year.
Improving the state freight infrastructure is expected to create opportunities for the development of freight, industrial and logistics projects in areas where freight efficiency and productivity are boosted.
Tasmanian senator Anne Urquhart said the program would benefit a range of industries.
“These much-needed bridge strengthening works will increase road and bridge network capability to increase freight productivity for critical state industries such as agriculture and manufacturing,” Urquhart said.
