Council is constructing an underpass on Summerleas Road to improve safety for all pedestrians, cyclists, and community members. This underpass will provide healthier transport options for moving about throughout Kingston.
The underpass will allow commuters to travel off road from Springfarm and Whitewater communities via the Whitewater Creek Track past Kingston Park and the Kingborough Community Hub to reach services and shops within the Kingston CBD.
Once finished, the Summerleas Road underpass will serve as a vital connection, completing a network of pathways for off-road commuting, catering to the needs of local residents.
Updates
21 November, 2024
Concrete pours have been taking place this week for backfilling the culverts.
The retaining wall footings for the southern side of the road have been prepared.
Installation of the mass block retaining wall will commence next week.
14 November, 2024
The 21 culvert units are now installed.
Waterproofing has begun in preparation for backfilling the road next week.
Work is also underway preparing the retaining wall footings for the ramp on the southern side of the road.
7 November, 2024
Installation of the 21 box culverts has commenced, with all units likely to be in place by the end of this week. Waterproofing of the culverts is programmed for next week, after which point backfilling the walls can commence.
30 October, 2024
The base slab was poured this week. Next week, the team will begin installing the box culvert units. Once the culverts are in place, waterproofing will be applied to support durability which will prepare the site for the following back filling phase.
23 October, 2024
The slab steel and form work are nearing completion, with the base slab pours expected to take place next week (weather dependent).
17 October, 2024
The base layer for the underpass floor and ramps has been completed this week. Next fortnight’s program will consist of preparing and pouring the base slab. There will be a curing period before the box culverts can then be installed.
10 October 2024
Excavation for the underpass is now complete.The base layer for the underpass floor and ramps will be prepared next week. Installation of electrical and drainage conduits will occur during the base slab preparation.
16 September 2024
- Road excavation
- Installing culvert drainage and electrical infrastructure for the underpass.
- This includes preparation for a pump well and emergency warning lights for flooding events and CCTV for security
The ongoing road closure for the Summerleas underpass project has caused considerable inconvenience to the Kingborough community. Once the road was closed, unforeseen delays, including inclement weather and the movement of external infrastructure, extended the project’s timeline.
Ongoing negotiations with all project partners have taken place to minimise the impact on the community. The option of temporarily reopening the road was considered; however, safety concerns due to partial excavation made this option unfeasible.
Currently, an additional 12 weeks of road closure is anticipated. Contractors are exploring ways to shorten this time frame, and the Council will continue to communicate openly with the community regarding the project’s progress.
This project has not met the expected standards. A thorough review will be undertaken by the Council’s CEO to understand the decisions that led to this situation and to ensure improvements in future project delivery.
SUMMERLEAS ROAD UNDERPASS – UPDATE
Detour
To ease pressure on the residential roads, we are encouraging all motorists to use Huon Highway to access Kingston CBD, Kingston High School and all the sporting and recreational facilities in the area.
(Click on Map to enlarge)
Bus Diversion
Public buses will need to follow the detour route but services to the Queens Parade/Greenhill Drive area will remain unaffected. See below for affected routes:
- Tassielink routes 710, 711, 712, 714, 715, 716, 718, 719
- Metro route 429
Bus Stop Changes
The Metro bus stop just past the roundabout, out the front of 53 Summerleas Road, will be temporarily moved to Whitewater Crescent between numbers 3 and 5.
The informal Tassielink bus stop outside 100 Summerleas Road will be inaccessible and relocated to 130 Summerleas Road.
Pedestrian Management
From Tuesday 11 June 2024, the section of Whitewater Track (illustrated in map below) will be closed to pedestrians with a pedestrian detour in place for the length of the work. Please follow all signage in the area.
Environment
Council is committed to balancing the protection of our natural environment, with an objective to build safe walkways to encourage active transport into Kingston.
The new underpass is being constructed in a sensitive environment next to Whitewater Creek. As we value the contribution trees make to the health of urban areas, Council has designed the work to minimise the impact on the creek and the mature trees beside it as much as possible.
Unfortunately, some eucalypts will be removed to allow the underpass to be put in place. The decision to remove the trees has been made on the basis that the value of the trees has been assessed under relevant legislation and an arborist was engaged to determine which trees could survive the construction works. The works are guided by an Environmental Management Plan and monitored by Council’s environmental officers.
Platypus Habitat Investigations
Before commencing work on the underpass project, an investigation was conducted to ensure the safety and preservation of any platypus population in this section of Whitewater Creek. The study focused on assessing the stream bank condition and identifying any potential burrows along the proposed construction area. The investigation found no evidence of nesting cavities or burrowing activities of platypus in the vicinity of the work area. It is important to note that this study specifically aimed to determine whether the underpass construction would impact any habitat sites, rather than conducting a comprehensive study of the platypus population in Whitewater Creek.
Forty-spotted pardalote
The forty-spotted pardalote is a small bird that is only found in Tasmania in forests where white gums are present. Small pockets of white gum and even individual trees also provide important habitat for the species. This tiny bird is listed as Endangered on both the Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 and the Commonwealth’s Environment and Biodiversity Conservation Protection Act 1999. In response to a sighting of a forty-spotted pardalote within 500 m of the proposed underpass site in April 2024, targeted surveys were conducted to establish whether the species were utilising trees that were proposed for removal for the underpass construction. The surveys, which included acoustic monitoring and observation, did not detect forty-spotted pardalotes at the site. On average, 25-26 bird species were recorded on each survey day, with the highest daily count being 29 species.
Why an underpass?
Due to the physical constraints of the site an underpass was the only feasible solution for improved pedestrian safety in the area.
Constraints include a blind corner, narrow road width and not enough room to construct an overpass.
Funding
This project is funded by a $750,000 Greater Hobart City Deal grant and Council Capital funds of $1 million.
Enquiries
For all enquiries please contact Council on 6211 8200 and ask to speak to the Project Manager for the Summerleas Underpass or email kc@kingborough.tas.gov.au.
