Transforming Collins Street
Transforming Collins Street is an ongoing project which involves a variety of tactical trial changes, including streetside dining areas and separated cycling lanes, on one of Hobart's main streets.
It is another small step in a long-running ambition to create unique, lively urban spaces across Hobart which encourage people to linger longer.
The changes look to enhance the connection between the city's busy CBD and the popular Hobart Rivulet Track, which travels through to kunanyi/Mount Wellington.
Some on-street parking will be converted to accommodate on-street dining areas and cycling lanes, however there will still be both parking spots and loading zones on each block in the project area.
The project, which was endorsed by Hobart City Council in September 2024, is a two-year trial which will be reviewed at regular intervals.
What will it look like?
The project area is a 700-metre stretch of Collins Street which runs from the Molle Street intersection through to the Murray Street intersection at the edge of the CBD.
This area will be enhanced with a mix of streetside dining areas, separated bicycle lanes, additional accessible parking spaces, street plantings, greening, and a new zebra crossing.
The City of Hobart will request a lower speed limit along the project area to further enhance the safety of all road users and amenity for streetside dining and other activities.
We have broken down the project plans into four key areas along this route:
Between Molle Street and Barrack Street
Protected bicycle lanes will be installed in both traffic directions alongside the kerb and gutter for the length of the street.
Three on-street parks and 22 metres of loading zone will be retained on the northern side of the street (within the vicinity of the Tasmanian Wine Centre).
Five on-street parks will be retained on the southern side of the street (within the vicinity of Hyundai Hobart Motors).
Between Barrack Street and Harrington Street
Protected bicycle lanes will be installed in both traffic directions alongside the kerb and gutter for the length of the street.
Six on-street parks, one accessible parking space and 12 metres of loading zone will be retained on the northern side of the street (within the vicinity of 175 Collins Street).
Nine on-street parks, one accessible parking space and 12 metres of five-minute parking will be retained on the southern side of the street (within the vicinities of 200 Collins Street and 188 Collins Street).
Between Harrington Street and Victoria Street
Deck space for on-street dining will be installed on the northern side of the street for use by local hospitality businesses.
The exact design of the on-street dining is currently being developed in conjunction with traders.
A zebra crossing will be installed at the intersection of Collins Street and Victoria Street.
All current on-street parks will be retained on the southern side of the street.
Between Victoria Street and Murray Street
Following a council resolution in November 2024, the project in this area has been paused to allow for further street design possibilities to be workshopped with businesses and other stakeholders in this block.
In February, the City of Hobart held dedicated workshops with these businesses and stakeholders to determine the final design.
A report with options along this stretch of the street will be provided to the city's elected members following this consultation. This is anticipated to occur in March 2025.
Download full size map(PDF, 1MB)
When will I start seeing changes?
Physical works for the Transforming Collins Street project will run from Monday 24 March until Monday 12 May (weather dependent).
Work will mostly occur overnight and safe pedestrian access will be maintained to all pathways, however there may be some temporary lane closures and reduced speed limits.
The work will take place in stages along each block, with residents and building owners notified the week before any works begin outside their properties.
Detailed work schedule
Work is scheduled to occur on Collins Street, between Barrack and Harrington streets on Monday 24 March 2025, during the night between 7 pm and 6 am:
- to remove the existing median island near the Village Cinema, and
- to install a new kerb ramp to cater for a new accessible parking space next to 175 Collins Street.
Work is scheduled to occur on Collins Street, between Molle and Barrack streets from Monday 7 April to Friday 11 April 2025:
- to remove signs and replace line marking, and
- to install surface treatments, kerbs and bollards.
Work is scheduled to occur on Collins Street, between Barrack and Harrington streets from Monday 14 April to Thursday 17 April 2025:
- to remove signs and replace line marking, and
- to install surface treatments, kerbs and bollards.
Work is scheduled to occur on Collins Street, between Harrington and Victoria streets from Monday 28 April to Thursday 8 May 2025:
- to extend footpath and construct parklet,
- to remove signs and replace line marking, and
- to install surface treatments, kerbs and bollards.
Work is scheduled to occur on Collins Street, between Molle and Victoria streets on Monday 12 May 2025:
- to install planter boxes, tables and bench, rubbish bins, bike racks and umbrellas.
Please feel free to contact the City of Hobart if you have any questions about these works.
How do I share my thoughts?
The City of Hobart will monitor the project and gather feedback at key stages throughout the two-year trial.
Your feedback, along with data on how many people are using the bike lanes and dining decks, will help shape the future of the trial.
All findings will be carefully considered and a summary will be shared publicly so everyone can see how the trial is progressing.
Stay updated and involved! We'll post regular updates about the engagement rounds here and on our social media so you're always in the loop.
Engagement round 1:
The pre-installation engagement ran from Friday 28 February until Sunday 16 March.
Council officers recorded people's thoughts about the project across the engagement phase.
During this period, Hobart residents shared their thoughts on the upcoming trial by filling out a survey on the project's Your Say Hobart page, attending two drop-in sessions at 188 Collins Street and participating in face-to-face discussions across the project area.
The findings from this engagement round will be shared with elected members and the wider public in the coming weeks.
Your Say Hobart
Future engagement rounds:
Engagement round 2: More details will be available in June 2025.
Engagement round 3: More details will be available in August 2025.
Engagement round 4: More details will be available in May 2026.
Engagement round 5: More details will be available in May 2027.
What is the project timeline?
Please note: Some dates in this timeline are indicative only and could differ depending on varying circumstances.
Two-year tactical trial endorsed by Hobart City Council.
Pre-installation engagement with Collins Street users.
Installation of bicycle lanes, street-side dining and other project infrastructure over a six-week period.
One month post-installation engagement with Collins Street users.
Three month post-installation engagement with Collins Street users.
One year post-installation engagement with Collins Street users.
Conclusion of two year trial. Further engagement with Collins Street users.
Findings and future options to be presented before Hobart City Council.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Why are we doing this?
All cities change over time and the City of Hobart is working hard to create vibrant, safe linkages between the key areas across our city.
In recent years, the City has significantly upgraded the waterfront area, helped to transform Liverpool Street into a business and street dining hub, and installed a new pedestrian and cycle bridge connecting the city to the University Rose Garden and the Queens Domain.
The area around Collins Street has recently become the subject of significant, medium-density development proposals.
The recently adopted Central Hobart Plan has identified the need to support this growth by improving linkages to the CBD and natural areas like the Hobart Rivulet, as well as improving the general amenity of the area with street-side dining and additional greening.
Giving people greater options in how they move along Collins Street, including by bike and on foot, is also important, and our designs are aimed at ensuring people have safe and efficient routes with some streets being prioritised for specific modes of transport.
A lower speed environment, streetside dining, a new pedestrian crossing and street greening will create a more comfortable, inviting environment for people walking and spending time on Collins Street, which is good for business and good for our city.
What is the background behind this project?
Improving the amenity of Collins Street for pedestrians, cyclists and businesses has been a long-term vision for the City of Hobart, with the ambition outlined in various plans and strategies over the past two decades.
The street was identified as a future arterial cycleway in the Hobart Regional Arterial Bicycle Network 2009.
Plans to improve active travel along Collins Street were then highlighted in the 2011 Hobart Rivulet Park Strategic Master Plan.
In 2012, linking the rivulet to the CBD through Collins Street was listed as a "priority project" in the Inner City Action Plan.
The need to strengthen Collins Street for walking and cycling, to support medium-density development, was then identified in the Central Hobart Plan in 2023.
Off the back of this strategic planning, a concept plan for the tactical trial was produced before eventually being presented and endorsed at the Council Meeting on 27 May 2024.
The City of Hobart engaged with business owners along Collins Street and, because of feedback, made multiple changes to the proposed design to retain more car parks and loading zones.
The updated design was presented before Hobart City Council at the Council Meeting on 16 September 2024, with councillors endorsing the two-year trial.
The Tasmanian Government then withdrew its commitment to help fund the project, causing the Hobart City Council to resolve to use project contingency funds to cover the funding shortfall at the Council Meeting on 14 October 2024.
The project appeared before the councillors again at the Council Meeting on 11 November 2024, where it was resolved that the project would be paused between Victoria and Murray St to explore options to "retain loading zone and parking opportunities".
Where will I park?
Collins Street, between Molle and Harrington streets, will still have 25 on-street parking spots with two accessible parking spaces and four loading zones.
Between Harrington and Victoria streets, there will be three parking spaces and one accessible parking spot.
There are more than 1000 parking spaces within the immediate vicinity of Collins Street (including both on and off-street parking). This trial will see a 2 per cent reduction to public parking in the area.
There are five side streets which come off Collins Street (Molle, Barrack, Harrington, Victoria and Murray) which have roughly 150 on-street car parks within one block of the project area.
There are also over 100 spaces, including eight accessible parking spaces, in the Village Cinemas car park on Collins Street.
The City of Hobart operated Centrepoint Car Park (next to Collins Street) also has 780 car parks and is rarely at full occupancy.
How will the trial impact traffic flow?
The City of Hobart engaged Pitt and Sherry to undertake traffic modelling of the proposed changes.
The findings of this modelling showed that there would be a slight increase in delay for vehicles at some Collins Street junctions.
The traffic modelling was presented at the Council meeting in September 2024 and is publicly available.
It is important to understand that Collins Street is not a strategic traffic route for through vehicle movements, noting that there are several other streets around the city (Macquarie, Davey, Barrack, Bathurst, Brisbane) that do prioritise vehicle movements.
Will people use the bicycle lanes?
The Greater Hobart Household Travel Survey 2023, conducted by the Tasmanian Government, showed there is a rising number of cyclists in Hobart.
It found there were 4800 trips completed on bikes within the City of Hobart local government area each day (a 50 per cent increase since 2019).
Hobartians riding bikes is good for their health and good for motorists, as it results in less cars on the road and helps traffic flow better.
We know the number one barrier to more people taking up cycling or any form of active transport is safety, something which separated cycle lanes will help address.
Data shows between 350 to 450 bicycle trips were conducted on Collins Street each weekday (prior to the trial), depending on the count location along the corridor.
How can I keep up-to-date on the project?
We will make regular updates to this webpage and directly to our project mailing list at key milestones:
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