Stage 3 Progress Summary Empty heading

Refer to the Stage 3 Engineering Drawings. Note that:

• Vegetation cover makes it difficult to identify the location of the works
• Council have not adopted the horizontal alignment shifts included in the design drawings as they resulted in significant excavations into existing embankments (including rock) and additional large tree removal.

The adopted alignment significantly reduces the construction impact and tree removal and has been agreed on site in consultation with the Contractor and Parks and Wildlife Officers.

The road will be a different driving environment compared to the Stage 2 section to Gnomon farm.

The road will continue to be a low traffic access to a recreational area through a forest reserve with trees very close to the road shoulders. The alignment will be winding, and users will be expected to drive accordingly.

The road will have 5.0m seal width and 0.5m shoulders.

Tree removal has been the minimum necessary for construction (approx. 20 trees) and only after a prior walk-through and approval of the tree clearing with Parks and Wildlife Service representatives. Substantial effort was made to limit the loss of large and significant trees, tree ferns, and miscellaneous other native vegetation. The majority of the trees removed were either unhealthy or were not of high environmental value.

Currently the Contractor is installing culverts and placing new pavement in 500m sections from the top down, per the construction sequence communicated during the previous website update.

The Stage 3 construction zone has a speed limit of 40km/hr.

Construction Plant and workers are aware of private vehicles using the road and are making allowances for vehicles to safely traverse the site.

The Mount Gnomon Car Park:

• Refer to the link above for a layout for upgrading and sealing the Car Park

• Gravel has been placed in the Mt Gnomon Car Park

• The Car Park remains open for public use.

Stage 2 Upgrade Summary:

• Council and our Designers have conducted a further detailed review of the project with a view to optimising value for money while best meeting the project objectives, including safety outcomes.

• We are currently assessing cost savings associated with widening of the existing road rather than a complete re-build of certain sections of the road

• We will use the savings and available budget for:
  • widening of the whole length of the road between Hardys Road and the Gnomon farm to a uniform width of 6.0m seal with 0.5m shoulders to better align with the Tasmanian Standard Drawings, and Austroads requirements for best practice in safety.
  • Improve the hair pin bend immediately south of Hardys Road
  • Widen the one-lane McBride Creek bridge at Ferndene to a two-lane width.

• The additional scope of work is currently being progressed and is expected to be completed by the end of October. During this period, the Contractor will be continuing with construction of Stage 3.
• Due to the volume of construction traffic, we are currently considering a reduction in speed limit south of Hardys Road