Tenders called for Tasmania's Kempton to Melton Mowbray Stage 1 project

Tenders are now open for safety improvements on the Kempton to Melton Mowbray Stage 1 project—the next milestone in the Australian and Tasmanian governments' $500 million Midland Highway 10 Year Action Plan.

Client: Tasmania Department of State Growth

Duration of contract: Stage 1 is estimated to run from 25/01/2016 to 20/03/2017. 

Contractor: Only Contractors prequalified with the Department of State Growth in the categories nominated, or higher, are eligible to tender for this project. Road Category R3, Bridge Category B2 and Financial Level F10.

Value: $11.5 million

Program: 

Federal Minister for Major Projects Paul Fletcher said the Midland Highway 10 Year Action Plan sets out the key priorities for investing $400 million in Australian Government funding and $100 million in Tasmanian Government funding over 10 years to upgrade the highway, improve road safety and save lives on Tasmania's key north-south freight route

Using the AusRAP methodology (which is the national road safety audit approach initiated by the combined national motoring associations, including the RACT), the objective of this investment is to lift the safety standard of the highway to a minimum 3 Star AusRAP safety rating over its entire length

For most of the Midland Highway, the predominant crash type is loss of control, most of which are single vehicle crashes with some resulting in head-on crashes and fatalities. 60% of the fatalities on the highway have been due to head-on crashes. 

Project: 

This project will improve the safety of the highway between Kempton and Melton Mowbray by:

• widening the road
• extending the sealed shoulders
• providing additional overtaking lanes
• upgrading junctions and installing flexible safety barrier to separate opposing traffic, with breaks provided at key junctions.   

Turning opportunities will also be provided, on average, every 3kms. 

“The overall Kempton to Melton Mowbray project will be delivered in two stages to improve safety on a 10 kilometre section of highway between Kempton and Melton Mowbray,” Mr Fletcher said.

“The project will widen the road, extend the sealed shoulders, upgrade junctions, provide flexible safety barriers and additional overtaking lanes for both north and southbound traffic, and also build safe turning facilities suitable for both light and heavy vehicles.

The project will be completed in two stages:

• The $11.5 million Stage 1 of the Kempton to Melton Mowbray project will improve approximately 4km of highway from north of Mood Food to Lake Secondary Road.  Works are planned to start this summer and conclude in 2016. 
• The subsequent Stage 2 project will complete the works from south of Kempton through to north of Mood Food.  The works for the two projects will be sequenced to minimise disruption. Stage 2 is expected to commence in 2016 and finish in 2017. 

Stage One:

This project involves carriageway widening to provide additional lengths of north and south bound overtaking lanes separated by a median with wire rope safety fencing.  Pavement and structure widening design works as required, including replacement of Quoin Rivulet superstructure. Specifically: 

• one additional southbound overtaking lane
• one additional northbound overtaking lane
• installation of central and roadside flexible safety barriers
• light vehicle turning bays (at locations to be confirmed) suitable for cars and other light vehicles
• heavy vehicle turning bays (at locations to be confirmed) suitable for heavy vehicles or farm equipment

Tasmanian Infrastructure Minister Rene Hidding said this project follows the recent announcement of the contractor for the South of Tunbridge project, which is scheduled to start construction this month.

“The tranche of projects scheduled to commence this summer construction season also includes projects from Tunbridge to Mona Vale Road and Stage 1 of Mangalore to Bagdad,” Mr Hidding said.

Tender information: Tenders opened for Stage 1 on 7th November 2015. See the tender notice here. The tender opportunity closes on December 12th 2015 at 2.00pm. The proposed contract completion date is 14 February 2017. Documents are available from: 

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