The largest transport infrastructure project in Tasmania has opened to traffic.
The $786-million four-lane bridge was built to deliver “faster, more reliable travel times for commuters, freight operators and locals”, the state said, “significantly reducing congestion bottlenecks on this key section of the highway network”.
The Bridgewater Bridge connects the suburbs of Bridgewater and Granton, north of Hobart, spanning the Derwent River. It carries the Midland Highway across the river, the main north-south arterial on the island and a vital transport route.
The new bridge replaced ageing infrastructure, reducing delays and improving efficiency for road and river users, the state said.
The 1.2km-long crossing will improve safety for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists, according to the Tasmanian Government.
The project also includes new interchanges, a 3m-wide shared path and modern safety features.
It is expected to service 22,000 trips a day.
“The bridge also includes improved access for marine traffic, with a higher clearance and no lift span, reducing delays and improving efficiency for both road and river users,” the Government said.
Works on the site will continue during coming weeks to complete landscaping, construction of a roundabout linking Old Main Road and Gunn Street, and removal of the temporary bridge and barges.
The new bridge is the fifth to be built across the River Derwent at Bridgewater. The first opened in 1848.
The bridge it replaces had been in operation since 1946 and was the oldest surviving lift-span bridge in Australia.
Construction on the new bridge began in October of 2022 and the project has “created hundreds of jobs with a focus on providing valuable training and upskilling opportunities for Tasmanian workers”, the state said.
The Australian Government committed $628.8 million to the project, and the Tasmanian Government $157.2 million.
