Public feedback on the Pūhoi to Wellsford road of national significance has been so strong that the NZ Transport Agency is extending the consultation deadline a week to 2 August 2010.
The NZTA’s State Highways Manager for Auckland and Northland, Tommy Parker, says that feedback is has been good with well over 200 written responses and more than 300 people attending stakeholder and community meetings in northern Rodney.
“The feedback we’ve received already is excellent,” says Mr Parker, “and the extra time will give people and groups who haven’t done so already the chance to give us their views on the strategic principles for the development of the new highway.”
Mr Parker says his project team is using the consultation process to engage with the community early before the preferred route for the new highway is confirmed. The NZTA is seeking feedback from the community on any local issues that may influence the design of the route.
At the end of this phase of consultation, the project team will consider all the submissions - interviews, meetings, phone calls and the written and web-based feedback – and use the feedback in conjunction with technical studies to develop a preferred option for the route of the new highway.
The NZTA plans to start the next round of consultation - on the preferred route option - before Christmas 2010.
Any further information on the project and the current consultation process can be found at www.nzta.govt.nz/puhoi-wellsford(external link).
Editor’s notes:
The government has identified seven essential state highways projects that are linked to New Zealand’s economic prosperity. Called the roads of national significance, or RoNS for short, the NZTA is charged with substantially completing this programme of state highway improvements within the next 10 years. The RoNS programme represents one of New Zealand’s biggest ever infrastructure investments.
The seven RoNS projects are based around New Zealand's five largest population centres. The focus is on moving people and freight between and within these centres more safely and efficiently. Other RoNS may be added in future but currently from north to south the seven projects are:
For more information: Roads of national significance
