Consultant engaged to conduct Southern Outlet traffic survey

The State Government wants to know more about where people are going to and from when they travel a key Hobart route.

Traffic on the Southern Outlet. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE.

THE State Government has asked a consultant to conduct a study of traffic movements on the Southern Outlet.

Austraffic has been awarded a $59,000 contract to conduct an origin-destination survey for the road linking the fast-growing Kingborough region with Hobart.

A spokeswoman for the Department of State Growth said the survey would seek more detail on where traffic on the outlet is travelling to and from.

“Previous data collection and analysis showed that approximately 75 per cent of traffic from the Southern Outlet in morning peak hour has a destination within the CBD,” the spokeswoman said.

“This survey will provide additional detail, including from which areas to the south of Hobart the traffic is originating, for example, Kingston, Huonville, Margate and specifically where in the CBD is its destination.

“The survey will start in late October and the information gathered will inform planning studies currently under way, as well as future planning decisions.”

Kingston and the Southern Outlet looking north.

The survey will form part of the State Government’s efforts to tackle Hobart’s worsening traffic.

The Government has pledged to build a fifth lane on the Southern Outlet to improve travel for cars and buses.

Consultants have been invited to tender for a community engagement process and progress the proposal for a Southern Outlet transit lane, as well as bus priority measures to connect Hobart and Kingston.

The consultancy will also include concept designs for a Park and Ride facility in Kingborough.

And as traffic picks up again today with the start of term four, vehicles will be towed if they are parked in clearways in Macquarie St. The zero tolerance will result in vehicles being towed and owners fined more than $380.

A grace period of more than a month has applied to the clearways, including advertising the changes and notifying local businesses and hotels.

Another incident-response tow truck will be rolled out on the Brooker, Domain, Tasman and East Derwent highways.

As part of the measures, the Government also introduced a new fleet of tow trucks at either end of the Tasman Bridge to respond to traffic incidents.

Consultants GHD recently won a $762,000 contract to conduct a study on ways to divert traffic around the CBD, under the Liberals’ pledge to examine a western city bypass.

The report will consider “all possible options”, including bypass roads, tunnels or a mix of both.

Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said the GHD tender was “out of touch” and a poor use of public funds.