Tender open for 2.5M Great Eastern Drive upgrades

The Tasmanian Government has allocated a further $2.5 million for stage two of the Great Eastern Drive upgrade.

The tender, which includes safety upgrades to the Coles Bay junction as well as installing dedicated right turn lanes at Basin Creek and Flagstaff Road, is now open.

Stage one which included the installation of a northbound overtaking lane, four junction upgrades and improvements to a pull-over area, is now complete.

Stage two work on the Great Eastern Drive, a 176 kilometre long section of the Tasman Highway, is set to begin later this year.

It has grown in popularity as a tourist route and the investment in its upgrade is hoped to enhance the experience for visitors as well as improve safety for all road users.

The government also has a number of future improvements planned for the road. These include road widening and safety treatments at entries to popular tourism experiences, upgrades to overtaking facilities from St Helens to Dianas Basin and the extension of the road to Binalong Bay Road.

This will be the first dedicated investment for visitor road infrastructure in the state.

The government says the investment is part of its commitment to retaining Tasmania’s reputation as a premium destination, for locals and visitors alike.

The funding for stage two comes from the government’s $58 million investment in its ‘Roads to support Tasmania’s visitor economy’ program.