The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) advises that access to Mangatawa Lane from State Highway 2, just east of Te Maunga roundabout at Mount Maunganui, will permanently close from today, Tuesday 11 January.
Access to Mangatawa is now via the newly-extended Truman Lane from the Te Maunga roundabout.
Andrew Scott, the NZTA’s Tauranga Eastern Link Principal Project Manager says the west-bound lane of traffic on State Highway 2 has been moved onto the road shoulder while the traffic island from the old Mangatawa intersection is removed. This should be completed by the end of the week.
Mr Scott says the closure of the Mangatawa Lane highway access is part of the Truman Lane extension project, one of six support projects for the Tauranga Eastern Link.
“It’s an important step to prepare for the future widening of State Highway 2 from Te Maunga to Domain Road and provides a safer driving environment for local residents because they no longer have to contend with state highway traffic to access their homes,” Mr Scott said.
Construction is now underway on the $455M four-lane Tauranga Eastern Link. It will run from Te Maunga (near Baypark Stadium) in Tauranga to the existing junction of State Highways 2 and 33 (the Rotorua and Whakatane highways) near Paengaroa. It will be made up of 17km of new road and an upgrade of six kilometres of existing highway.
Keep up-to-date with developments at www.nzta.govt.nz/tel(external link)
Editor’s notes
The Government has identified seven essential state highway projects linked to New Zealand’s economic prosperity. Called the roads of national significance, or RoNS for short, the NZTA is charged with delivering this programme of state highway improvements within the next 10 years. The RoNS programme represents one of New Zealand’s biggest ever infrastructure investments and is a key part of the Government’s National Infrastructure Plan and Government’s Policy Statement for transport.
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: Puhoi to Wellsford - SH1, Completing the Western Ring Route, Auckland - SH16, SH18 and SH20, Victoria Park Tunnel, Auckland - SH1, Waikato Expressway - SH1, Tauranga Eastern Link - SH2, Wellington Northern Corridor - SH1, Christchurch Motorways. More information is available at www.nzta.govt.nz/rons(external link)
