Hon Chris Bishop
Minister of Transport

The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) Board’s endorsement of the Tauriko West Road of National Significance investment case is great news for jobs and growth in the western Bay of Plenty, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.

“Western Bay of Plenty is growing strongly and the government is committed to unlocking its potential. The new Tauriko West Road of National Significance will support economic growth, increase productivity and connectivity to Bay of Plenty, and boost housing and commercial development,” Mr Bishop says.

“State Highway 29 (SH29) and State Highway 29A (SH29A) are the primary inter-regional and freight connections between Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty. These state highways are essential for growth and prosperity in the upper North Island.”

The NZTA Board has endorsed the investment case for the new Tauriko West Road of National Significance, consisting of:

• A 4-lane offline SH29 from Redwood Interchange to Takitimu North Link Interchange, designed to accommodate speeds of 110km/h
• Widening existing SH29A from Takitimu Drive Toll Road to Barkes Corner
• 7 intersection upgrades, including 3 new interchanges and 2 overbridges
• Current SH29 to become a local road
• Board support for consideration of tolling subject to Ministerial confirmation.

The NZTA Board has also approved $97.2 million in funding for route protection.

“As part of the SH29 Tauriko West RONS, a new SH29 will be built and SH29A widened to support economic growth, productivity, commercial and residential development, protect the strategic freight route, and improve resilience and reliability, and safety for all users,” Mr Bishop says.

“These upgrades will support the Tauriko Business Estate extension and enable the potential development of 30,000 new houses in the Western Corridor by 2063. Other benefits of the project include a 40 per cent improvement in travel time reliability, 13 min reduction on SH29 and 6 min reduction on SH29A, and a projected 50 per cent reduction in deaths and serious injuries.”

The Tauriko West project will be delivered in four phases:

Phase 1: Ōmanawa Bridge replacement (SH29) – The replacement of the Ōmanawa Bridge, realignment of the connections on SH29 around the bridge and minor improvements to the Ōmanawa Road Intersection. Construction is expected to start later this year.

Phase 2: Route protection for SH29 and SH29A – Designating, consenting and progressing property acquisition so NZTA is ready to proceed with the detailed design and construction when funding is made available. This also protects the route from being built out in the upcoming development of the area.

Phase 3: SH29 offline – Constructing a new 4-lane SH29 from north of Ōmanawa Bridge to connect to Takitimu North Link Interchange including Takitimu Drive Toll Road, and revocation of the existing SH29 (indicative design and construction timeframe, subject to funding).

Phase 4: Widening existing SH29A – From Takitimu Drive Toll Road to Barkes Corner and a new interchange at Barkes Corner.

“With the NZTA Board’s endorsement of the investment case, the SH29 Tauriko West RoNS can now progress to designate and consent a new route between Ōmanawa Bridge and Takitimu North Link in the western Bay of Plenty, for future construction.

“Protecting the Tauriko West route provides certainty for this significant growth area and ensures NZTA is best placed to move forward when funding for design and construction becomes available. It also protects the route from being built out in the upcoming development of the area.

“The investment case endorsed by the NZTA Board sets a budget envelope of between $2.8 billion to $3.3 billion for the overall project, with decisions to unlock funding made by the NZTA Board as each phase of the project progresses.

“Phase 1 and 2 of the project to replace the Ōmanawa Bridge and start route protection for the SH29/SH29A corridor are underway, with phase 3 and 4 covering the construction of a new four lane SH29 and widening of the existing SH29A.

“The Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS 24) requires NZTA to consider tolling for all new RoNS. The investment case supported tolling to help fund the construction and maintenance of the road, and the NZTA Board will consider further information before making a final recommendation to the Government. If tolled, Tauriko West has a Benefit Cost Ratio of 1.7.

“The SH29 Tauriko West RoNS project is a critical part of the Government’s plan to boost economic growth and productivity, increase the availability of much needed housing and industrial development, and improve safety on our roads.”

© Scoop Media