Construction activity on the NZ Transport Agency's (NZTA) Tauranga Eastern Link (TEL) project will take a break over the Christmas holiday period having achieved steady progress during 2011.
The NZTA’s Tauranga Eastern Link Principal Project Manager, Andrew Scott, says the construction site will shut down Thursday, 22 December until Monday, 9 January 2012.
Since construction started last year progress made on the $455m project included five of the seven support projects being completed, as well as the visitor information centre on Tara Road, in Papamoa opening, says Mr Scott.
A glimpse of progress on the Roads of National Significance (RoNs) is now apparent from State Highway 2 (SH2), between Te Maunga and Domain Road. In November the first stage of construction on the Mangatawa interchange started.
Mr Scott says construction of the Mangatawa interchange will take approximately three years to complete and will provide an additional link from State Highway 2 through to Papamoa Beach Road.
Over the past month there has been an increase in general construction activity in the old railway yard area at Te Maunga in preparation for the construction of the two northbound lanes on State Highway 2. Work in this area will continue after the Christmas/New Year holidays and will take approximately six months to complete.
During the holidays, Mr Scott asks those driving through the area to take care as it is still a construction site, “We ask road users to drive carefully, particularly along State Highway 2. We thank the public for their ongoing co-operation with traffic management throughout the year” he said.
Keep up-to-date with developments at www.nzta.govt.nz/tel or visit the Tauranga Eastern Link information centre, 65 Tara Road, Papamoa.
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. 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.
