Re-directed light rail funding to progress Manawatū Gorge replacement road and other projects

The NZ Transport Agency says $313 million in funding being re-allocated from the rapid transit activity class in the 2018–21 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will be used to progress a range of state highway improvements, as well as for public transport, walking and cycling, road policing, and local road improvements.

The NZ Transport Agency Board has approved the reallocation of funding from the rapid transit activity class to other activity classes in the NLTP in order to enable more of the Government’s transport priorities to be completed while the Ministry of Transport evaluates options for Auckland light rail.

The NZ Transport Agency expects to direct around $190 million of the $313 million of re-allocated NLTP funding to state highway improvements, including the Manawatu Gorge replacement road, as well as to progress safety improvements and other essential resilience work on state highways in other regions. The remaining $123 million will be directed to the public transport, walking and cycling, road policing and local road improvement activity classes within the NLTP.

Approximately $100 million of the additional funding for state highway improvements will be used to ensure the Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatu Tararua Highway project continues to progress as quickly as possible. The remaining $90 million will be used to deliver a range of targeted safety and other essential resilience work on state highways across the country, including bridge replacements in Waikato, Otago and the West Coast.

While the 12 state highway projects re-evaluated earlier this year remain part of the Transport Agency’s long-term plan, the additional funding being made available for state highways is not sufficient to progress these projects in the current NLTP funding period.  

The Transport Agency expects to direct the $313 million to the following areas:

• $190 million for state highway improvements - Manawatu Gorge replacement, targeted safety improvements, bridge replacements* and other essential resilience work.
• $60 million for public transport - to progress the Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP) and other high priority initiatives.
• $63 million to be divided between walking and cycling, road policing and local road improvements.

*Bridge replacements to be prioritised with re-allocated funding include:

SH26 Kirikiri Stream Bridge Replacement - Waikato

SH26 Onetai Stream Bridge Replacement – Waikato

SH30 Kopaki Bridge Replacement – Waikato

SH8 Beaumont Bridge Replacement – Otago

SH7 Stoney Creek Bridge Replacement – West Coast