Huon Valley Council

Public meetings

3 September 2020

Jefferys Track Feasibility Study

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Agenda

Welcome and introductions Council Open the meeting and introduce the consultation team

and GHD

Next steps Deloitte A summary of what will happen next

Jefferys Track feasibility study Deloitte An overview of current track and the feasibility study

Options Deloitte We will describe each of the options

Discussion and questions All incl GHD

One on one discussion Deloitte and

Council

Deloitte and Council representatives will be available

following the meeting for a conversation if you wish

Today’s meeting

2

Explain and answer any questions on:

- What the study is and isn’t looking at

- What happens after the feasibility study

- Indicative options for upgrading the Track

- Indicative costs of these options

Understand your views on:

- Concerns with these routes

- Benefits of these routes

- Issues that should be considered in this feasibility

study or subsequently

Why is the feasibility study being done?

3

There is considerable interest in a reliable, safe

and direct transport link between the Huon

and Derwent Valleys.

A 2015 study found upgrading the Southern

Explorer route to be not feasible based on

current demand.

There are ongoing safety and maintenance

challenges with Jefferys Track.

The Tasmanian Government has provided a

grant for the Huon and Derwent Valley

Councils to consider the feasibility of

upgrading Jefferys Track.

2015 Southern Explorer Feasibility Study

What is the feasibility study?

4

- A high level analysis of the feasibility of a route to better connect

the Huon and Derwent Valleys, focussing on the current Jefferys

Track alignment where possible

- Indicative routes

- High level costs and benefits

- Understanding and reflecting community views

What is the feasibility study doing

5

Consultation

- The goal of consultation is to understand the level of community and

industry support (or otherwise) and perspectives on the potential costs

and benefits of upgrading Jefferys Track

Civil engineering / road construction assessment

- GHD has identified technically feasible indicative routes and high-level

costs

A cost benefit analysis

- This will be completed by Deloitte Access Economics based on the costs

identified and the results of consultation

- High level estimates of costs and benefits

- Matters that would need to be analysed and costed in detail

Next steps - after the feasibility study

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- Draft report to Councils early October

- Final report and presentation to Councils and Dept State Growth in

November

- Councils to consider their response to the report

If a decision is made by Councils to proceed beyond this feasibility study next

steps would include:

- Obtaining support and funding for future studies from DSG

- Environmental and heritage assessment

- Geotechnical analysis

- More detailed traffic modelling

- Legal assessment

- Further community consultation

- Road engineering conceptual design, preliminary design, detailed design

- More refined costing

- Business cases

- Applications for State and Federal government funding

- Formal planning processes

The existing Jefferys Track

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• There is evidence of Jefferys Track being

discussed as a link dating back to the 1850s

• It is currently impassable for most vehicles,

particularly after poor weather

• Ownership and management of the Track is

complex and the topography is challenging for

road design

• It is scenic, and used for recreation by walkers,

horse riders, mountain bikers and is a popular

destination for 4WD enthusiasts

• 6 different owners

• Track does not always follow the road reserve

Northern Half

East/West Tk to

Mitchells Rd

Ice Brook to

East/West Tk

Current condition

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Northern half

- Largely a good quality dirt road

- Evidence of rubbish and car dumping

Current condition

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Ice Brook to East West Trail

- 4WD use – ‘the pig pen’

- Significantly eroded, currently impassable to most vehicles

- Car dumping

Current condition

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East West Trail to Mitchells Road

- Rocky and slippery

- Flattish, generally wide track from East West Track to White Timber Trail

turnoff

- Narrow and steep down Mitchells Road to Crabtree Road

Current condition – White Timber Trail

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An overview of the options

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• Upgraded 4WD track from Mitchells

Road to Lachlan – exactly following

current road alignment.

• Sealed commuter road from

Mitchells Road to Lachlan –

Designed for light vehicles up to

8m. Some deviations from current

alignment.

• Industry road for heavy vehicles

from Judbury to Lachlan. Following

Judd Creek Road, White Timber Trail

and Jeffreys Track, with some

deviations from current alignment.

Access from Huonville via Glen

Huon Road.

Upgraded 4WD track

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• Exactly following current road alignment. No upgrades to connecting roads

• Key benefits include:

- Fire fighting

- Improved tourism and recreational opportunities

- 4WD opportunities

• Key issues and challenges:

- Policing and antisocial behaviour

- Repairing existing damage between East/West Track and Ice Brook

- Steep slopes from Mitchells Bridge to top of the hill

- Maintenance costs and preventing future damage

Sealed road suitable for light vehicles - indicative route

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• Largely following current road alignment, but with deviations,

notably at Mitchells Road end

Sealed road suitable for light vehicles

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• Key benefits include:

- Tourist and commuter access between Huon and Derwent Valleys

- Faster access from Huon Valley to Bridgewater Bridge and north

- Some traffic out of Hobart CBD

- Bushfire protection

- Recreational potential

• Key issues and challenges

- Steep slopes from Mitchells Bridge to top of the hill

- Mitchells Bridge upgrade/replacement

- Increased traffic flows from Grove to Mitchells Road and through

Lachlan and need for upgrades – including junctions at Grove

- Widening and upgrade to Mitchells Road impacting properties

- Widening and upgrade to Lachlan Road impacting properties

- Environmental issues

- Weather

- Cost

Connector road upgrades – indicative requirements

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Huon Highway to Mitchells Road:

- Huon highway intersection – upgrade likely required regardless of

whether this project goes ahead

- General road surface and shoulder widening, including:

- Power pole relocations in some areas

- Tree removal in some areas

- Some land acquisition for road widening, including:

• Huon Highway intersection to Crabtree Road intersection

• 800m in last 1500m before Mitchells Road bridge

• 680m between 1.6km and 2.7km from Huon Highway

- Bridge replacement or upgrades

- Additional culverts

Connector road upgrades – indicative requirements

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Jeffreys Track intersection with Hydehurst Road through Lachlan to New

Norfolk

- General road surface and shoulder widening, including:

- Power pole relocations in some areas

- Tree removal in some areas

- Some land acquisition for road widening, including:

- Bridge replacement or upgrades

- May be three properties for which some land acquisition may be

required in first 800m from Hydehurst Road

- Additional culverts

Road suitable for heavy vehicles

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Heavy vehicle

route

Road suitable for heavy vehicles

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• Key benefits include:

- Tourist, commuter and freight access between Huon and Derwent

Valleys

- Faster access from Huon Valley to Bridgewater Bridge and north

- Traffic out of Hobart CBD, including heavy vehicles

- Fire fighting

• Key issues and challenges

- Increased traffic flows, including heavy vehicles, through Judbury

and Lachlan

- Upgrades to feeder roads

- Longer route than Jefferys Track

- May not be viable for traffic coming from north of Huonville

- More significant environmental issues

- Weather

- Significant cost

Connector road upgrades – indicative requirements

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Glen Huon Road from Huonville to Judbury

- Shoulder widening, culverts, traffic barriers

- 3km of road reconstruction

- Land acquisition unlikely to be required

Other details of options

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Indicative routes Vehicle use designed for Design guidelines Design criteria

Heavy vehicle route Up to a semi-trailer (19m) Category 3 road as defined in State

Road Hierachy, and Austroads Class

2 road

Width: 6.0m

Shoulder: 1.0m

Verge: 0.5m

Speed: 70km

Max gradient (may be

steeper in short sections):

9%

Light vehicle route Light vehicles up to 8.8m.

Service vehicle

Category 4 road, as defined in the

State Road Hierarchy and Austroads

Class 3 road

Width: 6.0m

Shoulder: 1.0m

Verge: 0.5m

Speed: 60km

Max gradient (may be

steeper in short sections):

12-15%

All weather access track /

fire trail Four wheel drive vehicles,

fire trucks

Class 4 minor all weather road, as

defined in the Forest Practices Code

by the Forest Practices Authority,

Tasmania, 2015

Width: 3.7m

Shoulder width: .6m

Speed: 40kmph

Desired max gradient:

15% (absolute max 25%)

Comparison of the options and costs

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Indicative routes Huonville to New

Norfolk

Huonville to

Bridgewater

Bridge

Indicative route

cost

Indicative link costs

Industry road from Judbury to White

Timber Trail and then Lachlan via the

northern end of Jefferys Track

(49kms)

42 mins (car)

49 mins (heavy

vehicle)

(67kms)

55 mins (car)

62 mins (heavy

vehicle)

$268 m $8.5m

A sealed road suitable for tourist /

commuter use along the general route

taken by the existing Jefferys Track, but with

some deviations

(35kms)

34 mins (car)

(53kms)

47 mins (car)

$88 m $9.7m

All weather access track / fire trail (a dirt

road similar to the current track, but with

repairs made to the damaged areas) along

the existing Jefferys Track

41 mins 54 mins $4.5 m Nil

No upgrades or additional roads (travel via

Hobart)(118kms)

81 mins (car)

95 mins (heavy

vehicle)

(100kms)

68 mins (car)

82 mins (heavy

vehicle)

- -

Further discussion and input

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- Questions

- What are the costs and benefits of each option?

- Are there other options that should be considered?

Thank you

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Information from this meeting will be available on the Huon Valley Council, and

Derwent Valley Council websites:

• www.huonvalley.tas.gov.au/jefferys-track

• www.derwentvalley.tas.gov.au/our-community/engagement/

These websites are the best resource for you to obtain up to date and accurate

information.

If you have not done so already, we encourage you to provide a written submission via

the online survey by 16 September 2020. You can find a link to the survey on the

Council websites. Feel free to make a second submission if you wish.

For any queries during this time, you can leave a message with Deloitte Access

Economics on (03) 9667 5040 or jefferystrackconsult@deloitte.com.au.

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