7 September 2021
State Highway 3 (SH3) through Manawatū Gorge had provided a vital connection between the east and west of the central North Island since 1872 – connecting communities and making it easier for local businesses to get goods to market.
A major slip on 24 April 2017 permanently closed this route and traffic was diverted on to local roads. Work quickly began to identify a new way to re-connect affected communities and restore this important east–west connection.
Eighteen options were considered. After community consultation, Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway was chosen – an 11.5km connection between Ashhurst and Woodville through the Ruahine Ranges.
In 2019, a new partnership was formed to design and deliver this new state highway and path for walkers and cyclists. Te Ahu a Turanga Alliance includes people from Waka Kotahi, iwi – Rangitāne o Manawatū, Rangitāne o Tāmaki-nui-a-Rua, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Tāmaki-nui-a-Rua and Te Rūnanga o Raukawa (Ngāti Raukawa ki Te Tonga and Ngāti Kauwhata), Fulton Hogan, HEB Construction, Aurecon and WSP.
Iwi are represented at all levels of the Alliance and Te Ahu a Turanga is the first major infrastructure project in New Zealand to have iwi involved from the outset.
This collaborative approach creates a new paradigm for the co-design of infrastructure in Aotearoa New Zealand. This approach won the Te Ahu a Turanga Alliance the New Zealand Planning Institute’s prestigious Best Practice Award in March 2021 – a national award given for excellence in consultation and participation.
Watch this video from March 2021 to learn more about this collaboration:
As part of the 2021–24 National Land Transport Programme, an additional $1.3 billion will be invested in Manawatū/Whanganui region.
Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway project information
2021–24 NLTP Manawatū/Whanganui regional summary
