highway
A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It includes not just major roads, but also other public roads and rights of way. In the United States, it is also used as an equivalent term to controlled-access highway, or ...
in
Tasmania
Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...
, Australia. Like the Midland Highway, it connects the major cities of
Hobart
Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly hal ...
and Launceston – however it takes a different route, via the north-eastern and eastern coasts of the state. The Highway also acts as a major
commuter
Commuting is periodically recurring travel between a place of residence and place of work or study, where the traveler, referred to as a commuter, leaves the boundary of their home community. By extension, it can sometimes be any regular o ...
road to Hobart residents living on the eastern side of the Derwent River. The designation "Tasman Highway" arises from its location facing the
Tasman Sea
The Tasman Sea is a marginal sea of the South Pacific Ocean, situated between Australia and New Zealand. It measures about across and about from north to south. The sea was named after the Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman, who in 1642 wa ...
– named, like the state itself, after
Abel Tasman
Abel Janszoon Tasman (; 160310 October 1659) was a Dutch sea explorer, seafarer and exploration, explorer, best known for his voyages of 1642 and 1644 in the service of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). He was the first European to reach New ...
. The highway is one of the longest in Tasmania – , with an average travelling time of 4 hours.
Eastern Outlet
The Eastern Outlet is a section of the Tasman Highway between
Hobart
Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly hal ...
and Sorell. As one of the city's 3 major radial highways, the outlet connects traffic from the
Hobart city centre
The Hobart City Centre (referred to as the Hobart CBD) is a suburb surrounded by metropolitan Hobart, which comprises the original settlement, the central business district, and other built-up areas. It is the oldest part of Hobart and include ...
with
Hobart Airport
Hobart Airport is an airport located in Cambridge, north-east of the Hobart central business district. It is the principal airport of Tasmania.River Derwent as well as intrastate traffic on the east coast and
Tasman Peninsula
The Tasman Peninsula, officially Turrakana / Tasman Peninsula, is a peninsula located in south-east Tasmania, Australia, approximately by the Arthur Highway, south-east of Hobart.
The Tasman Peninsula lies south and west of Forestier Peninsu ...
. With recorded
Annual average daily traffic
Annual average daily traffic (AADT) is a measure used primarily in transportation planning, transportation engineering and retail location selection. Traditionally, it is the total volume of vehicle traffic of a highway or road for a year divided ...
of 67,000, the
Tasman Bridge
The Tasman Bridge is a prestressed concrete girder bridge connecting the Tasman Highway over the River Derwent (Tasmania), River Derwent in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. When it opened on 29 March 1965, the Tasman was the longest prestressed con ...
is the busiest portion of the Eastern Outlet and the Tasman Highway as a whole.
History
In 1964, a comprehensive transport study of Hobart was undertaken, calling for the construction of a
freeway
A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway, and expressway. Other similar terms ...
to serve Hobart's growing eastern suburbs. Prior to opening of the Tasman Bridge in 1964 traffic travelling between Hobart and the airport had to make use of the
Hobart Bridge
The Hobart Bridge was a floating arch bridge that crossed the Derwent River, connecting the eastern and western shores of the city of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
History
Plans for a bridge to link the Derwent River's two shores near Hob ...
as well as Rosny Hill Road and Cambridge Road. Passing through the
Meehan Range
The Meehan Range ( ) is a prominent geographic feature in southeastern Tasmania, consisting of steep hills and ridges running parallel to the River Derwent (Tasmania), River Derwent on the eastern shore of Hobart. Situated primarily in the C ...
, this route was windy and entirely two-lane featuring
at-grade intersection
An intersection or an at-grade junction is a junction where two or more roads converge, diverge, meet or cross at the same height, as opposed to an interchange, which uses bridges or tunnels to separate different roads. Major intersections ar ...
s. The first section of the new Highway between Rosny Hill Road and Mornington opened in 1974 as it exists today and continued to the airport as three lanes in its current alignment. During the 1990s, the section of highway between Mornington and the
airport
An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial Aviation, air transport. They usually consist of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surf ...
was fully duplicated with funds from the
federal government
A federation (also called a federal state) is an entity characterized by a political union, union of partially federated state, self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a #Federal governments, federal government (federalism) ...
. In 2002, the Pitt Water bridge was replaced with a new bridge built beside the existing structure with the causeway widened. In 2012, Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources progressively installed
variable speed limit
Speed limits on road traffic, as used in most countries, set the legal maximum speed at which vehicles may travel on a given stretch of road. Speed limits are generally indicated on a traffic sign reflecting the maximum permitted speed, express ...
signage between the airport and
Hobart
Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly hal ...
, citing the increased crashed rate on the road due to traffic and weather on the Meehan Range.
In 2022 the roundabout at
Hobart Airport
Hobart Airport is an airport located in Cambridge, north-east of the Hobart central business district. It is the principal airport of Tasmania.peanut-roundabout diamond intersection, allowing traffic on the Tasman Highway to flow over the intersection. The first stage of the Sorell Bypass was opened the same year, allowing traffic using the
Arthur Highway
The Arthur Highway (A9) is a Tasmanian highway which runs from Sorell in the near south to Port Arthur in the far south-east.
Route description
From a roundabout with the Tasman Highway outside Sorell the highway runs northeast to another rou ...
to directly bypass Sorell instead of using Tasman Highway or Parsonage Place (to which was applied a 5-tonne limit, but the junction was earlier made into a roundabout). There is a reserve for Tasman Highway to bypass Sorell, going directly north at the current bypass towards William Street, but currently the traffic must use the old Arthur Highway intersection to exit Sorell.
Future
The
Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources
The Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources (DIER) was the former name of the Government of Tasmania, Tasmanian Government Department of State Growth. It reported to several ministers including Jim Cox (Australian politician), Jim Cox a ...
has outlined several concepts for the upgrading of the Eastern Outlet portion of the Tasman Highway – Both short and long term. These include;
*An upgrade of the highway at Montagu Bay, involving the addition of extra lanes and On/ Off ramps between the
East Derwent Highway
The East Derwent Highway (route number B32) is a highway in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. The highway is a trunk road that carries heavy commuter traffic, much like the Brooker Highway, on the eastern side of the River Derwent.
Route
The high ...
and Rosny Hill Road, to provide safer passage of traffic travelling between these two Roads
*The upgrading of the Holyman Avenue
Roundabout
A roundabout, a rotary and a traffic circle are types of circular intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction around a central island, and priority is typically given to traffic already in the junct ...
into the airport at
Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
.
*The addition of On/Off Ramps at Gordons Hill Road at Rosny.
*The State government recently purchased land at Cambridge on the northern boundary of Hobart Airport to facilitate the future duplication of the Tasman Highway to Sorell. Possible second bypass of Sorell.
Additionally, independent bodies and proponents of the Highway have also made proposals of their own, including:
*Building the Highway to limited access, dual carriageway standard between the Airport and Sorell.
*Capacity upgrades between the
Hobart city centre
The Hobart City Centre (referred to as the Hobart CBD) is a suburb surrounded by metropolitan Hobart, which comprises the original settlement, the central business district, and other built-up areas. It is the oldest part of Hobart and include ...
The southern section of the Highway commences on the fringe of the Hobart Central Business District at the intersection with the
Brooker Highway
The Brooker Highway is a highway in the Australian state of Tasmania. As one of Hobart's three major radials, the highway connects traffic from the Hobart central business district, city centre with the northern suburbs and is the major road con ...
couplet
In poetry, a couplet ( ) or distich ( ) is a pair of successive lines that rhyme and have the same metre. A couplet may be formal (closed) or run-on (open). In a formal (closed) couplet, each of the two lines is end-stopped, implying that there ...
. Featuring between four and five lanes of traffic and utilizing a lane management system for peak hour traffic, the highway travels north along the western shore of the Derwent River, intersecting with the
Domain Highway
The Domain Highway is a highway in Tasmania, Australia. The highway acts as a link road connecting traffic between Hobart's two busiest highways; The Tasman Highway and the Brooker Highway while also bypassing the Hobart city centre. With reco ...
before preceding over the Tasman Bridge. On the eastern side of the Bridge there are two interchanges in close proximity; the
East Derwent Highway
The East Derwent Highway (route number B32) is a highway in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. The highway is a trunk road that carries heavy commuter traffic, much like the Brooker Highway, on the eastern side of the River Derwent.
Route
The high ...
intersects the highway immediately after the bridge via the
Lindisfarne Interchange
The Lindisfarne Interchange is a Directional T interchange which connects the Tasman Bridge to the Tasman Highway and the East Derwent Highway, on the eastern shore of the River Derwent within Hobart, Tasmania
Tasmania (; palawa kani: ...
and within 500 metres there is an interchange connecting Rosny Hill Road. From Rosny Hill Road the Tasman Highway continues east as a fully
grade separated
In civil engineering (more specifically highway engineering), grade separation is a method of aligning a junction of two or more surface transport axes at different heights ( grades) so that they will not disrupt the traffic flow on other tr ...
,
Limited access highway
A limited-access road, known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, partial controlled-access highway, and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a contro ...
intersecting with the
South Arm Highway
The South Arm Highway (part of the B33 road route) is a highway serving the southern suburbs of Hobart, on the eastern shore of the River Derwent in Tasmania, Australia. The highway is a major trunk road that carries heavy commuter traffic sou ...
airport
An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial Aviation, air transport. They usually consist of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surf ...
diamond interchange
A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a controlled-access highway crosses a minor road.
Design
The freeway itself is grade separation, grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge. ...
(formerly a complete roundabout). For the remaining from the Airport the highway features 2 lanes of traffic, and travels over
Mcgees Bridge
McGees Bridge is a road bridge that carries the Tasman Highway across Pitt Water, near Sorell in the south-east of Tasmania, Australia. The bridge and adjacent Sorell Causeway provide vital links between Hobart and two of Tasmania's principa ...
and the
Sorell Causeway
The Sorell Causeway is a causeway that carries the Tasman Highway across Pitt Water-Orielton Lagoon, from the western side of to in the south-east of Tasmania, Australia. The causeway and adjacent McGees Bridge provide vital links between Ho ...
to Sorell.
Sorell to St Helens
The road to
Orford Orford may refer to:
Places
* Orford, Cheshire, a suburb of Warrington, England
* Orford, Suffolk, England
** Orford Castle
** Orford Ness
** Orford (UK Parliament constituency)
* Orford, Quebec, in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada
** Mont O ...
remains at the national standard as a two-lane highway, albeit with only a few overtaking lanes along its distance. The remainder of the road to St Helens is two lane, with even fewer overtaking opportunities.
In places, the eastern coastal portion of the highway runs just metres from the
Tasman Sea
The Tasman Sea is a marginal sea of the South Pacific Ocean, situated between Australia and New Zealand. It measures about across and about from north to south. The sea was named after the Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman, who in 1642 wa ...
, making it the easternmost A road in Tasmania.
The Tasman Highway is marketed as "East Coast Escape" between St Helens and Orford, to fit in with Tasmania's scheme of introducing tourist trails, a way of simplifying navigation of key tourist locations in Tasmania.
Prior to 1990, there was no coastal route between Falmouth and the Chain of Lagoons – one had to travel into and out of St Marys, both roads being steep grades. The bypass was officially opened on 2 December 1991, though motorists had been using the partially constructed road before its opening. Great care was taken during the construction to protect Aboriginal
midden
A midden is an old dump for domestic waste. It may consist of animal bones, human excrement, botanical material, mollusc shells, potsherds, lithics (especially debitage), and other artifacts and ecofacts associated with past human oc ...
s and the general environment.
St Helens to Launceston
At the Launceston end, the highway is a main road with
traffic lights
Traffic lights, traffic signals, or stoplights – also known as robots in South Africa, Zambia, and Namibia – are signaling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations in order to control the flow o ...
. Out of the city, it becomes an ordinary two-lane road through the mountains. It passes waterfalls and through timber and rainforest country.
The portion between Launceston and Scottsdale runs through the Sideling Range. There is a lookout which offers views of Scottsdale and its surrounds.
The highway also passes through several former mining towns.
Route
The highway passes through the following localities:
*
Hobart
Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly hal ...
* Suburbs the Highway passes out of Hobart
** Rose Bay
** Rosny
**
Warrane
Warrane is a suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, within the City of Clarence local government area. It is approximately from Hobart's CBD. It is located between Rosny Park and Mornington and runs parallel to the Tasman Highway.
Warrane ...
Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
Orford Orford may refer to:
Places
* Orford, Cheshire, a suburb of Warrington, England
* Orford, Suffolk, England
** Orford Castle
** Orford Ness
** Orford (UK Parliament constituency)
* Orford, Quebec, in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada
** Mont O ...
*
Swansea
Swansea ( ; ) is a coastal City status in the United Kingdom, city and the List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, second-largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of ...
* (
Freycinet National Park
Freycinet National Park is a national park on the east coast of Tasmania, Australia, northeast of Hobart. It occupies a large part of the Freycinet Peninsula, named after French navigator Louis de Freycinet, and Schouten Island. Founded in 1916 ...
Scamander
Scamander (), also Skamandros () or Xanthos (), was a river god in Greek mythology.
Etymology
The meaning of this name is uncertain. The second element looks as though it is derived from Greek (), meaning "of a man", but there are sources w ...
Highways in Australia
Highways in Australia are generally high capacity roads managed by states and territories of Australia, state and territory government agencies, though Australia's federal government contributes funding for important links between capital cit ...
*
List of highways in Tasmania
The Highways in Tasmania generally expand from Hobart and other major cities with secondary roads interconnecting the highways to each other. Functions of these highways include freight, personal travel and tourism.
The AusLink Network curren ...