As with any project, community feedback plays an important role to inform designs and multiple rounds of engagement/consultation have been undertaken throughout the course of this project between 2014 and 2023, which included:
- Public surveys and use of the online consultation Social Pinpoint tool
- Meetings with community representatives, including Community Boards
- Meetings with key stakeholders, including Western Bay of Plenty District Council and NZ Police
- Technical workshops with local council representatives, NZ Police, emergency services, freight representatives and industry groups
- Regular hui with Mana Whenua
- Multiple public open days
- Individual contact with schools, stakeholders and adjacent residents.
Additional public meetings, open days, and other stakeholder engagements were held on request. Regular newsletters, media releases, traffic bulletins, radio advertising, newspaper columns and social media posts have been published to keep the community informed and up to date of progress.
Where possible, feedback from the community has been incorporated, however, designs are based on evidence (both international and around New Zealand) and technical advice, with safety being a focus, along with other design and construction criterion.
