Tauranga City Council has welcomed the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) decision to co-fund the next stage of the Connecting the People: Fifteenth Avenue to Welcome Bay project, which will help to reduce traffic congestion and improve access to the city centre and beyond for people living in the Welcome Bay ward.

Transport Minister Chris Bishop announced the decision today, on the same day Council endorsed the procurement approach for the project.

“This key transport corridor is the primary link connecting the Welcome Bay, Hairini, Ohauiti and Maungatapu communities to their jobs, schools, social, and cultural activities, and we are pleased to finally look to deliver what’s been talked about for too long,” says Mayor Mahé Drysdale.

“As well as reducing congestion, the project will improve transport choice by providing improved walking and cycling facilities and help to improve social wellbeing and connectivity. More efficient movement of both people and goods also leads to improved productivity and economic growth so it’s a win-win for everyone in Tauranga.”

Council approved the business case for the project in August 2024. The next stage of the project is advancing design to prepare for construction, which will include surveying, service investigation and geotechnical assessments. This phase is estimated at $10.3m, with NZTA approving funding for 51% of these costs.

The total project cost is estimated at $140m. Proposed improvements include:

• Completing four-laning of Fifteenth Avenue from Cameron Road to Burrows Street, one lane in each direction for general traffic and one high occupancy lane (T2) for vehicles with two or more passengers (including buses)
• Intersection improvements on Fifteenth Avenue (including new signalised crossings) and shared walking and cycling facilities
• Three-laning of Hairini Bridge and causeway, including a tidal flow system which means there could be two lanes of traffic going into the city in the morning, changing to two lanes going out of the city in the afternoon
• A clip-on shared use path on Hairini Bridge for walking and cycling
• Resilience improvements to the Hairini Bridge and causeway
• New traffic signals at the intersection of Welcome Bay Road and James Cook Drive
• Mini roundabout at the intersection of James Cook Drive and Victory Street.
• Renewals and upgrades to water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure along the corridor

Mahé says Council has been planning how the project will be delivered, with the main drivers being to minimise disruption to the city’s transport network, the community, and the environment, while still providing value for money.

“With 26,000 vehicles per day currently using this corridor, the project will significantly impact the traveling public along with nearby businesses and schools. Therefore, careful planning and clear communication are essential to successfully managing these challenges,” says Mahé.

Detailed design on the Hairini Bridge is expected to get under way in August, including further assessment of its structural and seismic capacity. Once that is determined, full design will get under way in early 2026, with the community having an opportunity to give feedback before any construction starts, currently planned for late 2026/early 2027 if further funding is approved.

“We know from our consultation with the community through development of the business case that people have a real interest in this project, and they gave us valuable feedback which helped to inform the ideas taken forward in the early design,” says Mahé.

“We want to ensure the community is on the journey with us to get this part of the city moving, provide more transport choice, and help to improve their social wellbeing and connectivity.”

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