Michael Ferguson,Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
Further rocks overhanging the Tasman Highway at Paradise Gorge were removed yesterday as work continues to make the road safe.
Water jet equipment has arrived and is being used to clear debris and shards of rock from the rock face to assist the specialist teams in their removal work.
In addition, further scanning has been undertaken to gauge the stability of the remaining rocks.
The rock removal process will continue this week provided it can be done safely in the weather conditions.
Once all the high-risk rocks have been removed, work will start on clearing the debris from the slope at the bottom of the rock face and the road. The road will be cleared of gravel and any necessary repairs made to the road and retaining wall.
While weather conditions were challenging last week, work has progressed and our target continues to be mid-July for the Road's reopening.
Road crews continue to monitor both Wielangta Road and Lake Leake Road and repair any problems as they arise.
I also want to take this opportunity to remind motorists, especially those travelling on Wielangta Road, to obey the speed limits and traffic management controls. We have received some reports of motorists not doing this, and it's important for everyone's safety that they follow the rules.
I also remind the community that the temporary twice-weekly shuttle service between Orford and the Hobart CBD starts tomorrow, with passengers already booked for the first run. There is no charge for the service however bookings are essential, with bookings already received for the service over the next two weeks.
We will continue to listen and work with the community around any other supports that might be needed during this unprecedented event.
I thank the community for their ongoing patience while we get these urgent works completed and the Tasman Highway route back to normal.
