Tasmania’s new budget for 2023 prioritises existing major transport projects but has resulted in delays to other proposed roadworks in the coming years
In the Tasmanian state budget handed down this week, the funding for the transport sector is mainly directed towards upcoming infrastructure and road work projects.
While there are no new major infrastructure spends, existing projects have received a welcome boost.
The new Bridgewater Bridge, which is expected to open to traffic at the end of next year, takes up a massive portion of the infrastructure budget at $786 million.
While spending on this, the Tasmanian government has also given itself the next four years to finish the 10-year, $565 million Midland Highway upgrades as well as the $350 million south east traffic solution, which is a four-lane highway connecting Sorell to Hobart Airport.
However, the funding and start of the proposed Tamar River bridge in northern Launceston has been delayed yet again, with significant funding not expected to begin until 2026 at the earliest.
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This delay means it’s three years later than suggested in last year’s budget, with it now not expected to be completed until 2028.
A combined $28 million will go into various planning and design projects to do with Hobart’s northern suburbs transit corridor and a contemporary common ticketing system for public transport, while $1.3 million has been directed towards developing corridor studies that identify improvement opportunities for the state’s road network.
When evaluating the Tasmanian budget for transport and infrastructure, ABC News could only label it as ‘neutral’, with the state’s education system being called the main winner from this year’s budget.