Motorists are advised that traffic will be switched across onto the new eastbound lanes between Mangatawa and Domain Road, as part of on-going construction of the NZ Transport Agency’s Tauranga Eastern Link (TEL) project.
The traffic switch will occur overnight on Monday 28 April.
At this time Kairua Road will become a permanent left-in and left-out only intersection. This will mean that Kairua Road traffic will no longer be able to make right-hand turns from SH2 into Kairua Road or from Kairua Road onto SH2.
Motorists are advised to drive with care and to expect delays whilst this traffic management is in place.
This work is very weather dependent.
Once the traffic has been moved onto the eastbound lanes, work to construct the new westbound lanes (heading from Domain Road intersection towards Mangatawa) can commence.
The Transport Agency thanks motorists for their patience and on-going co-operation while construction on the TEL project continues.
Keep up-to-date with developments at www.nzta.govt.nz/tel(external link).
Editor’s notes
The four-lane Tauranga Eastern Link 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. The new highway is expected to open to traffic in late 2015.
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 NZ Transport Agency 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)
For more information please contact:
Glenda Dobbyn
Media Manager
Waikato and Bay of Plenty region
T: 07 928 7908
M: 021 021 67217
E: glenda.dobbyn@nzta.govt.nz
