Talking Point: Traffic the test of our cleverness

MATHEW BROOKS: Staggered work starts and more bus travel are the most obvious options, but there are more.

Traffic banked up on Davey Street. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

TRAFFIC congestion is one sign of a prosperous society. How we manage Hobart’s traffic congestion is a sign of how clever we all are and can be. That means the whole community — all levels of government and Tasmanian road “consumers”.

The few weeks since Christmas have meant relative bliss for drivers with no “school” traffic, but as schools return this week, congestion will reign again.

This month we saw again the impact of multiple car crashes, when there were two incidents on the Southern Outlet to Kingston. Police were forced to close the highway at the top of Tolmans Hill exit and divert all traffic. As news spread, motorists headed for the “old” way to Kingston via Taroona and the entire traffic system through the city, Sandy Bay and down to the Huon Valley felt the immediate consequences for several hours.

On any weekday, traffic volumes into Hobart speak to the level of the economy, with about 70,000 cars crossing the Tasman Bridge and 40,000 cars up the Southern Outlet. That’s 110,000 cars a day!

As traffic engineers, we start from two basic facts: the number of people travelling is fixed and the number of road lanes on the major thoroughfares is also fixed.

Perhaps the simplest solution is giving people or the workers of southern Tasmania options as to when and how they travel. Some workplaces could allow staff to start earlier or later in the day — they would still work eight hours, but with options to start at 7am or 10am or later and finish earlier or later. Some businesses could make it more attractive for staff to work from home. For others this is not possible and never will be.

The other obvious option is to make public transport more attractive. With my traffic engineer’s hat on, think about this: one bus can transport 60 people; 60 people in cars take up about 400m road space in a queue of traffic, either travelling or sitting idle!

Once into the city, we face the debate and concern about where cars will park. The more people use public transport, the less parking is required.

We are starting to see a growth in “micro-mobility”, with more consumers using electric scooters and bikes in and around the city. In Auckland recently, I saw heaps of road users on both.

But the reality and attraction of greater Hobart and southern Tasmania is that people seek to live in “regional” areas like Kingston and Sorell and travel by car to work in the city of Hobart. It may be uncomfortable during the congestion periods, but not so uncomfortable that we are willing to consider moving or taking public transport.

In other words, much of the traffic congestion has less to do with our roads and more to do with how Tasmanians and Australians love their stand-alone home on a quarter-acre block rather than living in apartment complexes closer to work. And that’s perfectly understandable given the beauty of the state.

The State Government has entered the equation by taking control of Davey and Macquarie streets, co-ordinating traffic signals, giving police better communication connection to the traffic network systems, implementing extra tow trucks for breakdowns or crashes and imposing clearways and tow away zones at peak times.

I live in Kingston and I can tell — when I hit the top of Tolmans Hill to come into the city — if there has been a breakdown or car parked overnight in a clearway zone.

The State Government is also considering infrastructure projects, a cross-city tunnel, bus priority lanes on Macquarie and Davey streets, a new bus transit centre for the Hobart CBD, bus priority lanes on the Tasman and Brooker highways, and a fifth lane for the Southern Outlet.

There has been much discussion about light rail and a return to a regular ferry system up and down the River Derwent. Both have merit, but we need to make it attractive for people to walk or drive to the station or ferry terminal, be able to park easily and get to their destination quickly.

As Macquarie Point continues developing, it could become a real solution for ferries. It will need major planning and investment, both of which are under way.

You have to admit, there’s plenty of food for thought. Time for some serious contemplation while you are sitting in a queue on your way to and from work!

Mathew Brooks was 2019 Professional Engineer of the Year. He is Engineers Australia (Tasmania) Southern Committee member.