Length:

413 km

Termini:

Northern: Midland Hwy (Bathurst St) (NH1) and West Tamar Hwy (York St) (A7), Launceston

Southern: Brooker Av (A6), Davey St (A6) and Macquarie St (A6), Hobart

Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:

Hobart, Sorell, Orford, Triabunna, Ravensdale, Swanport Little, Swansea, Bicheno, River Douglas, Seymour, Cranbrook, Lagoons Of Chain, Beach Dianas, Beaumaris, Scamander, Fairlea, St Helens, Goshen, Moorina, Derby, Branxholm, Tonganah, Scottsdale, Springfield, Weelaty, Targa, River Patricks St, Nunamara, Waverley and Launceston

Current: A3

Former: 3

Road Authority Internal Classification: ¹

A0113

General Information:

A3 links Hobart and Launceston via the east coast of Tasmania. The route is named after Abel Janszoon Tasman, who was a Dutch seafarer and explorer. On 24 November 1642, Tasman reached and sighted the west coast of Tasmania, north of Macquarie Harbour. ² He named his discovery Van Diemen's Land, after Antonio van Diemen, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies.

The route services several towns and passes through wilderness areas, rural areas, as well as commercial and residential areas. The route connects fishing towns such as Triabunna to major centres and other highways.

The Tasman Bridge forms part of the highway crossing the Derwent River in Hobart. The Tasman Bridge is a five-lane bridge and its total length (including approaches) of 1395 metres – longer than the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The total original construction cost of the bridge in conjunction with approach ramps and Lindisfarne interchange was about £7 million.

May 1960: Construction of the Tasman Bridge over the Derwent River commenced.

18 August 1964: The Tasman Bridge opened to traffic, utilising 2 lanes only.

23 December 1964: The Tasman Bridge was completed, with all 4 lanes in operation.

5 January 1975: At 21:27 hrs, the Tasman Bridge was struck by the bulk ore carrier Lake Illawarra. It caused two pylons and three sections of concrete decking, 127 metres, to fall from the bridge and sink the ship. Seven of the ship's crewmen were killed, and five motorists died when four cars drove over the collapsed sections before the traffic was stopped.

October 1975: Reconstruction of the Tasman Bridge commenced. As part of the works, several safety features including all road traffic being forced to stop whilst large vessels travel beneath the bridge. During the repair process, the bridge was upgraded to hold a fifth lane. This upgrade included the construction of lane management systems which would enable the new middle lane to function as a reversible lane.

8 October 1977: The Tasman Bridge officially reopened.