THE state's peak road safety body has called for driver patience as roadworks begin at six locations on the Midland Highway. Road Safety Advisory Council chairman Jim Cox said safety of road workers at the sites had to be paramount. "Tragically, Tasmania has experienced fatalities and serious injuries at roadworks sites in recent years," Mr Cox said. "That's why I am urging Tasmanians to be patient, follow all directions and signage, and drive responsibly when travelling through the Midland Highway safety project sites in the upcoming months," he said. Mr Cox said drivers should add extra time when travelling on the highway this summer. Contracts have been awarded to Tasmanian civil construction companies for the projects, with work starting last week and continuing to April. Infrastructure Minister Rene Hidding said the projects would employ about 180 people and inject $16 million into the local economy. "These upgrades are about improving safety as soon as possible at these high-risk locations and are part of the state and federal government agreement to invest $500 million in improving the Midland Highway," Mr Hidding said. "The crash history of the highway demands that the focus in the immediate term must be on safety improvements at targeted sites to help lower the risk of serious casualties," he said. Mr Hidding said between Bagdad and Perth more than 70 per cent of crashes were single-vehicle loss of control or head-on crashes. "That is why we're installing median flexible safety barriers, which reduce the risk of serious injury crashes by up to 90 per cent, installing audible edge lines and removing roadside hazards," he said. Mr Hidding said the government remained committed to "progressively upgrading the Midland Highway to four lanes". ● South of Kempton road widening over three kilometres to install safety barrier – Hazell Bros ($4.4 million). ● South of Spring Hill road widening over 3km to install safety barrier – Hazell Bros ($4.3m). ● North of Spring Hill road widening over 3km to install safety barrier – VEC Civil Engineering ($3.4m). ● South of Tunbridge curve improvement – Shaw Contracting ($1.1m). ● Esk Main Road Junction to Conara north-bound acceleration lane – Shaw Contracting ($1.6m). ● Kings Meadows Connector new roundabout to address queuing onto the Midland Highway – VEC Civil Engineering ($1.2m).
THE state's peak road safety body has called for driver patience as roadworks begin at six locations on the Midland Highway.
Road Safety Advisory Council chairman Jim Cox said safety of road workers at the sites had to be paramount.
"Tragically, Tasmania has experienced fatalities and serious injuries at roadworks sites in recent years," Mr Cox said.
"That's why I am urging Tasmanians to be patient, follow all directions and signage, and drive responsibly when travelling through the Midland Highway safety project sites in the upcoming months," he said.
Mr Cox said drivers should add extra time when travelling on the highway this summer.
Contracts have been awarded to Tasmanian civil construction companies for the projects, with work starting last week and continuing to April.
Infrastructure Minister Rene Hidding said the projects would employ about 180 people and inject $16 million into the local economy.
"These upgrades are about improving safety as soon as possible at these high-risk locations and are part of the state and federal government agreement to invest $500 million in improving the Midland Highway," Mr Hidding said.
"The crash history of the highway demands that the focus in the immediate term must be on safety improvements at targeted sites to help lower the risk of serious casualties," he said.
Mr Hidding said between Bagdad and Perth more than 70 per cent of crashes were single-vehicle loss of control or head-on crashes.
"That is why we're installing median flexible safety barriers, which reduce the risk of serious injury crashes by up to 90 per cent, installing audible edge lines and removing roadside hazards," he said.
Mr Hidding said the government remained committed to "progressively upgrading the Midland Highway to four lanes".
ROAD WORKS SITES:
● South of Kempton road widening over three kilometres to install safety barrier – Hazell Bros ($4.4 million).
● South of Spring Hill road widening over 3km to install safety barrier – Hazell Bros ($4.3m).
● North of Spring Hill road widening over 3km to install safety barrier – VEC Civil Engineering ($3.4m).
● South of Tunbridge curve improvement – Shaw Contracting ($1.1m).
● Esk Main Road Junction to Conara north-bound acceleration lane – Shaw Contracting ($1.6m).
● Kings Meadows Connector new roundabout to address queuing onto the Midland Highway – VEC Civil Engineering ($1.2m).
