Media Release
Transit New Zealand
19 February 2008
Open Days for Tauranga Eastern Motorway
19 February
Open days for the proposed Tauranga Eastern Motorway will be held over the next few weeks to give the public an opportunity to see what is planned along the 23km route.
Two Open Days will be held, on Tuesday, February 26 at the Paengaroa Hall from 4pm to 7pm and on Thursday, March 6 at the Papamoa Surf Club off Domain Rd from 4pm to 7pm.
Transit New Zealand Project Manager Kevin Reid said the Open Days would be an opportunity for residents to ask the project team any questions and see displays of plans showing earthworks, stormwater and bridging concept designs.
The alignment of the motorway is fixed by the Designation which Transit gained about 10 years ago, but Transit also wants to hear residents' ideas and suggestions about the way the effects of this project can be lessened and managed.
Transit is consulting with directly affected landowners, iwi and hapu groups, and with key stakeholders such as community boards, environmental groups and the Port of Tauranga. Smaller 'cottage meetings' are being held with groups of landowners along the route to show them maps and diagrams of what is planned and to discuss the proposals with them.
Transit has the Designations under the Resource Management Act that confirm the corridor of land where the motorway will be built, and is working to obtain the consents needed from Environment Bay of Plenty for earthworks, stormwater management and bridges over the Kaituna River. Ecological and noise surveys are being carried out in the area and special landscape features like the Kaituna River are being identified.
Mr Reid said not all parts of the proposed motorway would be needed immediately.
"Construction before 2021 would include four lanes from Te Maunga to Domain Rd, two lanes with passing opportunities from Domain to Paengaroa, improvements to the Te Maunga roundabouts, interchanges at Sandhurst and Domain Rd, an underpass at Parton Road, a two lane Kaituna River Bridge, a new roundabout at the Paengaroa (SH2/SH33) intersection and a service road for Te Maunga houses."
"We welcome people's input into what is planned, and the Open Days are a chance to see what's proposed and talk to us," Mr Reid said.
For more information please contact:Kevin Reid, Transit's Tauranga Eastern Motorway Project Manager
Ph 07 927 6008 or 021 2856512
Visit us at www.transit.govt.nz or www.smarttransport.org.nz