State highway numbers in Tauranga city will be changing in early December to prepare for the completion of the NZ Transport Agency's Harbour Link project on December 18.
State highway numbers in Tauranga city will be changing in early December to prepare for the completion of the NZ Transport Agency’s Harbour Link project on December 18.
The state highway number changes will take effect as soon as the road signage is updated. Most of the signage will be changed on Sunday the 6th of December, with the remainder altered on Monday the 7th.
NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) State Highway Manager Rod James says the changes reflect the agreement by the NZTA and Tauranga City Council to make State Highway 2 the key strategic link connecting Tauranga and the Port of Tauranga with key routes from the north, west and east.
Mr James says, “Once the Harbour Link project is completed it will take four lanes of traffic across Tauranga Harbour, with two lanes of traffic heading from Tauranga to the Mount on the new bridge and two lanes of traffic heading from the Mount into Tauranga on the original bridge. This will double the capacity of this critical harbour crossing and reduce journey times for traffic.”
SH2 is currently routed through 15th Avenue, through to Hairini, where it heads towards Papamoa via SH2/29.
Once the road signage is changed, SH2 will be routed over the harbour bridge via Takitimu Drive, then along Hewletts and Maunganui Roads to the Te Maunga Roundabout where it will continue along its current route towards Te Puke. SH2A will be altered to run from Takitimu Drive to Maungatapu via 15th Avenue and Turret Road, where it will link SH2 and SH29. SH29 will start at Te Maunga (Baypark) and head west towards Hamilton, and SH2/29 will cease to exist.
Mr James says Harbour Link is the last section of the strategic route that includes PJK, Harbour Link, Hewletts Road (four-laning) and the Hewletts Road flyover.
Kiwi Maps and the AA are currently updating their Tauranga road maps.
Diagram: Tauranga state highway numbers, before the road signage changes.
Download the Map (JPG 243 KB)
Diagram: Tauranga state highway numbers, after the road signage changes.
Download the Map (JPG 240 KB)
For more information please contact:
Julie Hannam
Regional Communications Advisor
T 64 07 958 7238
M 64 027 294 2649
julie.hannam@nzta.govt.nz
www.nzta.govt.nz(external link)
