The NZ Transport Agency announced today that its investigation into Napier Port Access concluded that the current State Highway 50 is performing to expectations, and that further improvements are therefore not necessary at this time.
The Napier Port Access investigation, part of the Government’s Accelerated Regional Roading Programme, began in early 2015, and in December 2015 recommended a programme to address efficiency and safety problems on the current route.
At the launch of Matariki – the Hawke’s Bay Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan in July 2016 the Government announced $25 million worth of funding for three projects in this programme: improvements to the SH2/Watchman Road intersection, the Prebensen/Hyderabad intersection, and the SH50 expressway. These projects are currently underway.
The Transport Agency continued to investigate the remaining potential improvements in the programme, and concluded that the current infrastructure is performing to expectations given the current use and purpose of the road.
The other potential projects are therefore not eligible for funding at this time, although the Transport Agency will continue to monitor road use and consider further improvements when they become necessary in the future.
