A hearing on the Southern Links route protection designations and resource consents will get under way in Hamilton next week.
The hearing will be held at the Hamilton Airport Motor Inn and Conference Centre, starting at 9am on Monday July 21.
It is expected to run for up to three weeks.
The applications were publically notified in January 2014 and 88 submissions were received.
Southern Links is a NZ Transport Agency and Hamilton City Council project involving 32km of future transport network in southern Hamilton, including 21km of state highway and 11km of urban arterial roads in Hamilton's Peacocke area.
The project also involves Waipa and Waikato district councils, and Waikato Regional Council.
The receiving councils have appointed four independent commissioners who will conduct the hearing covering both the road designations and resource consents for bridges, which includes one over the Waikato River to the east of Hamilton Gardens and another south of the existing Narrows Bridge.
Construction could be 10-15 years away. The Transport Agency and Hamilton City Council do not have any funding set aside for Southern Links design or construction in their respective 10-year plans. Getting the designations in place will protect the network so that it can be built when required in the future.
Transport Agency Highway Manager Kaye Clark said the long-term aim of the project is to develop an effective transport network of well-connected state highway and urban arterial routes, linking SH1 from Kahikatea Drive to the Waikato Expressway at Tamahere, and SH3 from Hamilton Airport to central and east Hamilton.
“It will provide better linkage and access across and in and out of Hamilton City and surrounding districts for all motorists,” Mrs Clark said.
“It supports the local growth strategy by providing efficient movement of vehicles and freight around the Waikato region.’’
More details about the applications are on www.waipadc.govt.nz/hamiltonsouthernlinks(external link)
Background information is at www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/southern-links(external link)
For more information please contact:
Natalie Dixon
Media Manager
Waikato and Bay of Plenty region
NZ Transport Agency
T: 07 928 7908
M: 021 928413
E: natalie.dixon@nzta.govt.nz
