The NZ Transport Agency has released the shortlisted corridor options for the Ōtaki to north of Levin (Ō2NL) Project and is inviting public feedback to help refine them to a single preferred route.
NZTA’s Director of Regional Relationships Emma Speight says the shortlist has been developed following the first round of public engagement and takes into account the submissions of people who live, work and travel in the area.
“This input has been hugely valuable and helped shape the project. We started with 23 options and with the help of feedback have refined this down to nine,” Ms Speight says.
“We are now asking for further input from the community so that we end up with a single preferred route which best serves the community and balances that against the needs of road users.”
The shortlisted options all begin at Taylors Road north of Ōtaki, linking in with the Kāpiti Expressway, and end just north of Levin.
Each corridor between Ōtaki and north of Levin is made up of a southern option and a northern option. There are three southern options (S6, S7, S7A) and three northern options (N4, N5, N9), which form nine potential corridors.
“All the options west of Ōtaki were ruled out during the consultation process because of the significant environmental and cultural implications. They also would have increased travel times for commuters traveling to Levin or Palmerston North,” Ms Speight says.
Anyone interested in submitting feedback on the shortlisted options will be able and to view them and comment in a variety of ways:
Once feedback is received and considered, advice on a preferred option will be presented to the NZTA Board in mid-2018. The next steps for the project will take into account changes to the Government’s transport system priorities which will be outlined in the new Government Policy Statement.
| Location | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Manakau information session Manakau Community Hall 12 Mokena Kohere Street Manakau |
Saturday 10 February | 10am-2pm |
| Koputaroa information session Koputaroa Community Hall 399 Koputaroa Road Koputaroa |
Wednesday 14 February | 2pm-4pm |
| Levin information session Ō2NL project pop-up shop 183 Oxford Street Levin |
Saturday 17 February | 10am-2pm |
| Ōhau information session Ōhau Public Hall Muhunoa Road West Ōhau |
Thursday 22 February | 3pm-7pm |
| Family Fun Day information session Levin Adventure Park 93 Oxford Street Levin |
Saturday 24 February | 10am-4pm |
| Levin information session Waiopehu College 74 Bartholomew Road Levin |
Thursday 1 March | 4pm-6pm |
| Poroutawhao information session Poroutawhao Community Hall 800 State Highway 1 Poroutawhao |
Wednesday 7 March | 2pm-4pm |
| Levin information session Ō2NL project pop-up shop 183 Oxford Street Levin |
Friday 9 March | 4pm-8pm |
Between 7 February and 9 March, the Ō2NL project pop-up shop at 183 Oxford Street, Levin will be open to the public every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10am-4pm, and Thursday from 12pm-6pm.
For more information on the project, go to www.nzta.govt.nz/O2NL(external link)
