Work is now underway on the design of State Highway 2 Maramarua Deviation and the investigation of the adjacent Kopuku Realignment.
Work is now underway on the design of State Highway 2 Maramarua Deviation and the investigation of the adjacent Kopuku Realignment.
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) awarded a contract for both projects this week to Opus International Consultants.
NZTA Regional Manager Kaye Clark says the SH 2 Maramarua Deviation and Kopuku Realignment projects are integral components of the development of SH 2 from the SH 1/SH 2 interchange near Pokeno to the SH 2/SH 27 junction at Mangatarata in the Hauraki Plains.
Mrs Clark says, “The Maramarua Deviation and Kopuku Realignment projects will improve road safety on this section of SH 2, which is an important regional route carrying large volumes of traffic between Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula, East Waikato and also the Bay of Plenty – particularly during holiday periods. They complement the Mangatawhiri Deviation project, which is currently being constructed, and the multi-agency Network Safety Co-ordination (NSC) JAFA Campaign, which aims to improve safety on SH 2 through a collaborative combination of engineering, education and enforcement.”
The 6 km Maramarua Deviation project begins 18 km east of the SH1/SH 2 junction near Pokeno (just east of Kopuku Road), passes north of Maramarua township, and finishes 1.2 km east of Monument Road.
Mrs Clark says, “The contract will prepare the Maramarua Deviation for construction by completing the detailed design.”
The proposed 4 km Kopuku Realignment project lies between the Mangatawhiri and Maramarua Deviations and will complete a 15 km long realignment of SH 2. The eastern end of the project will tie into the start of the Maramarua Deviation near Maxwell Road and the western end will tie into the finish of the Mangatawhiri Deviation near the Maramarua golf course. The investigation phase of this project will confirm the route for the realignment and obtain route designation.
Mrs Clark says both projects reflect the National State Highway Strategy to develop SH 1 via Hamilton and SH 29 over the Kaimai Ranges as the preferred route between Auckland and Tauranga, rather than SH 2 (which will predominantly remain as a two-lane regional state highway, with improved safety and passing opportunities).
The Maramarua/Kopuku section of SH 2 will continue to provide a strategic link between Auckland and the Coromandel, and will act as a link between Auckland and the Bay of Plenty until the Waikato Expressway is completed.
NZTA was formed on 1 August 2008 to bring together the functions and expertise of Transit and Land Transport New Zealand.
Contact information:
Kaye Clark
Regional Manager
Telephone: 07 903 5113
Mobile: 027 279 5751
kaye.clark@nzta.govt.nz
Julie Hannam
Regional Communications Advisor
Telephone: 07 903 5146
Mobile: 027 294 2649
Email: julie.hannam@nzta.govt.nz
