7 September 2021
For the people of Tairāwhiti | Gisborne, having a safe, reliable, resilient transport network is crucial. In this relatively isolated region, state highways and local roads help connect communities and support the local economy by enabling businesses to get their goods to market.
Work done since 2018 to analyse and improve the resilience of key routes has enabled the use of High Productivity Motor Vehicles (HPMVs) in this region. HPMVs are trucks that can carry heavier loads than other freight vehicles. But they can only travel on routes that can withstand their weight.
HPMVs allow fewer trucks to move more freight, which:
In 2017, enabling HPMV access to Tairāwhiti was a priority for local businesses. At that time, HPMVs could only head north via State Highway 35 (SH35). Businesses wanted to use HMPVs on the shorter State Highway 2 (SH2) route to get more goods to market and increase efficiency.
In September 2018, $4 million was invested to identify and action any improvements needed to connect Tairāwhiti to the HPMV network via SH2.
Extensive structural analysis of roads and bridges between Napier and Ōpōtiki was carried out. This detailed investigation found that the road from Napier to Gisborne was capable of carrying HPMVs – and it was connected to the wider network in July 2019.
On SH2, between Gisborne and Ōpōtiki, six bridges needed strengthening to be able to manage HPMV traffic long-term.
Strengthening work on Aro Aro Bridge was completed in March 2020 and the route opened to HPMV traffic the following month. The other five bridges are being strengthened by 2025 and this work is underway now.
As part of the 2021–24 National Land Transport Programme, more than $209 million will be invested in transport projects in Tairāwhiti | Gisborne region.
