Wielangta Road: Sealing link between East Coast, Hobart ‘wouldn’t be value for money’, study finds

The state government has released a feasibility study into sealing a key road link between Hobart and the state’s East Coast, with the report pouring a bucket of cold water on the idea.

Wielangta Road. Picture: Chris Kidd

The state government has poured cold water on the idea of sealing a key road corridor between Copping and Orford after a feasibility study found the project would “not represent value for money for Tasmanians”.

The study was commissioned following the partial closure of the Tasman Hwy at Paradise Gorge in late May 2021 due to a rockfall.

The closure forced residents of the East Coast to use Wielangta Rd (between the northern access to Rheban Rd at Orford and the Arthur Hwy at Copping) to get to and from Hobart and highlighted the subpar condition of the route.

The government tasked engineering and environmental consulting firm Pitt & Sherry with investigating the potential to seal the road.

Wielangta Road. Picture: Chris Kidd

Infrastructure and Transport Minister Michael Ferguson released a summary of the study on Friday and said Pitt & Sherry had concluded that fully sealing the entire road would cost an estimated $91.4m, which “would not represent value for money for Tasmanians”.

However, Mr Ferguson said the government may consider a $32.1m option, which would involve an alternative transport route to the Tasman Hwy in the event of future disruptions at Paradise Gorge.

Approximately 7 kilometres in the middle sections of Wielangta Rd would be sealed and Griffiths Rivulet Bridge and the Seventeen Acre Creek Bridge would be replaced.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson.

“The Rockliff Liberal government is prepared to consider this in future, but respects the different road owners and levels of government will have their own views and priorities,” Mr Ferguson said.

“Any option would need a significant contribution from the Australian Government, consistent with the 80/20 funding ratio for regional roads.

“We will engage with the Australian Government in the new year to seek views and potential funding commitment with the key goal to provide the East Coast with security of travel.”

Glamorgan Spring Bay Mayor Cheryl Arnol said the East Coast community was “keen to see what access opportunities are available”.

“When Paradise [Gorge] was closed, it really gave people a feeling of insecurity in relation to how they could leave the East Coast when that section between Orford and Sorell was closed,” she said.

Glamorgan Spring Bay Mayor Cheryl Arnol.

“So to have some form of access that was all-weather access would be, in my view, particularly welcomed by the community.”

Ms Arnol said the closure of the Tasman Hwy at Paradise Gorge in 2021 had been undertaken for “very good reasons” and acknowledged that the full sealing of Wielangta Rd may be too cost-prohibitive.

“I think if the community can see some light at the end of the tunnel, if you like, that there may be an opportunity to give us an all-weather access [road], it would go down very, very well,” she said.

East Coast Tourism CEO Grace Reath said “safe and efficient access” to the East Coast was “paramount for both community members and visitors”.

“Part of providing that access includes alternative access routes in both the North and South of the state, such as for Paradise Gorge and St Marys Pass,” she said.

“We will continue to work with the state government and local councils to find solutions for safe, reliable access to our destination.”