Eastern Shore traffic congestion heats up after Flagstaff Gully Link Rd rejected

A council is demanding answers and transparency after a feasibility study rejected a new road that they say would ease congestion on the Eastern Shore.

Eastern Shore traffic congestion plea from council. Pictures: Google Maps/Nikki Davis Jones

Clarence is fed up of being “left behind” on long-term transport planning after projects — such as one to combat congestion on the northern side of the Eastern Shore — keep being rejected, the mayor says.

Worsening Eastern Shore congestion was a hot topic of discussion at Clarence City Council’s meeting on Monday night after councillor Tony Mulder called for the Department of State Growth to release the full feasibility report on the proposed Flagstaff Gully Link Road.

It was proposed Flagstaff Gully Link Rd would connect the Tasman Hwy at the Mornington interchange through to the East Derwent Hwy.

Infrastructure Minister Kerry Vincent said the government assessed the link road in 2022 and found the $106m project would not offer value for money based on the high cost, significant impacts and low projected use.

He said the assessment had found less than 1000 vehicle would use it a day.

At this stage, Flagstaff Gully Link Rd connects the highways via Begonia St — a dirt road — and several suburban Lindisfarne roads.

The motion including a push for answers on long-term infrastructure planning for the Eastern Shore was supported by the council.

Mr Vincent said public consultation would soon be sought on three options to create a freight link between Cambridge and Brighton, “and look forward to hearing Clarence Council’s views”.

Long-term transport planning needed: mayor

Mayor Brendan Blomeley urged the state government to provide greater transparency on the report, saying it was time to commit to action.

“Once again, Clarence residents are being left behind when it comes to long-term transport planning,” Mr Blomeley said.

AFL High Performance Centre, City of Clarence Mayor Brendan Blomeley at Rosny. Picture: Chris Kidd

Concerns of drivers increasingly picking unsafe routes like Grass Tree Hill and Brinktop Rd was raised by the council, as well as the rising congestion at areas such as Gordons Hill Rd and Begonia St.

The state government has several major projects under development to assist the region, Mr Vincent said, including that the Eastern Shore was a recognised as a growth area.

The Department of Transport website said two potential road upgrades “do not currently offer value for money in terms of benefit to the community and therefore should not proceed”.

The investigations had been into capacity and safety improvements to the Bowen Bridge Eastern Connector — on the East Derwent Highway between Grass Tree Hill Rd and the East Derwent Hwy roundabout and the Bowen Bridge — and the construction of Flagstaff Gully Link Rd.

The Ratio Report suggested the Flagstaff Gully Link Rd would return up to $3.50 for every $1 invested, the mayor said, adding it was significantly higher than other major road projects in the state.

“We’re not asking for favours — we’re asking for fair consideration and the data to back the Department’s decisions,” he said.

“Clarence is growing, and our infrastructure needs to keep up.”

“Snail-paced” upgrades for Eastern Shore

Mr Blomeley is also demanding answers over the future of the Tasman Bridge, saying there is no public plan for a response if it fails or becomes unusable.

“We have seen through the development of the Bridgewater Bridge how long it takes from concept to completion – the Tasman Bridge already 60 years old – planning for its replacement needs to have already started,” he said.

He slammed the state government’s work to introduce on and off ramps on the Tasman Hwy to Gordons Hill Rd to ease queues at the Mornington Roundabout as “snail-paced”.

In January, federal and state governments committed $100m to revamp the Mornington Roundabout, including the new ramps, traffic lights and moving the Mornington Rd intersection with South Arm Hwy.

The Infrastructure Minister urged the mayor to work collaboratively with his department to find traffic congestion solutions.

Originally published as Eastern Shore traffic congestion heats up after Flagstaff Gully Link Rd rejected