Tauranga Eastern Link

Key features of the new highway

• Location

  Tauranga Eastern Link begins at Te Maunga (near Baypark Stadium) in Tauranga and follows its existing route to the Domain Road intersection with State Highway 2 at Papamoa. It then leaves the current state highway route and crosses rural land parallel to Tara Road, across Parton Road and along the sandhills to the Kaituna River at the end of Bell Road. At this point the highway crosses the river and carries on past the Kaituna Wildlife Management Reserve. It heads south east across dairy farms and orchard lots before rising up over the railway line to join the existing junction of State Highways 2 and 33 (the Rotorua and Whakatane highways) near Paengaroa.

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• Objectives

  The objectives of the Tauranga Eastern Link project are to:

  • support the managed growth for the area

  • improve efficiency and contribute to economic development through improved travel time

  • provide a more direct route to the Port of Tauranga

  • provide a safer route between Tauranga and Paengaroa.

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• Western Bay of Plenty – growth snap shot

  • One of New Zealand’s fastest growing residential areas.

  • Population is expected to double over the next 30 years to 286,000.

  • By 2051 Papamoa East is predicted to be a city the size of Nelson with 40,000 people and the total population of the eastern corridor itself will be upwards of 60,000.

  • Set to become the fourth or fifth most populated region in New Zealand.

  As the population continues to grow, this will increase pressure on existing infrastructure.

  The key drivers of this growth will be increasing use of the Port of Tauranga, New Zealand’s largest port, and the development of new residential, commercial and industrial land to the east of the city.

  Planning for future land use and transport in the Western Bay of Plenty has been considered in an integrated manner under the SmartGrowth Strategy(external link) (external link) developed by local authorities and road controlling agencies. This strategy has a focus on corridors – known as SmartTransport Corridors. The Tauranga Eastern Link is a key priority within the development of the Eastern Corridor, and is an essential component of an integrated transport network.

  The urban areas within the eastern corridor, including Papamoa East, Te Puke and Rangiuru, by 2051 are expected to grow with around 60,000 new residents anticipated to move to the area. Development of the eastern corridor will support and complement the existing developing areas located south-east of Mount Maunganui.

  In broad terms, future development along the eastern corridor is expected to contribute around $8.5 billion to the Western Bay of Plenty sub-region economy. This includes:

  • 17,500 new homes

  • 450 hectares of industrial development

  • up to 100,000 square metres of shops, office and commercial activity.

  From a growth management and planning perspective, the Tauranga Eastern Link is integral to the development of the eastern parts of Tauranga and will form a transport network that will support and enable the anticipated growth.

  In terms of road safety the Tauranga Eastern Link will provide safer traffic flows. The section of State Highway 2 between Tauranga and Paengaroa, is the second-worst state highway under the New Zealand Road Safety Assessment Programme, based on fatalities and serious ongoing crashes per kilometre.

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• Project facts
  • 21km four lane wire rope median-divided highway
  • Over three million cubic metres of earthworks
  • Seven bridges
  • Approximately 550,000 square metres of new road
  • Approximately 300,000 native plants to be planted

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• Expected completion

  Construction of the Tauranga Eastern Link started late 2010 and it is expected to take five to six years, depending on soil and weather conditions. The project is six months ahead of schedule and is on track to be completed by late 2015.

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• Project map
  • Project map brochure(external link) (PDF, 409KB)

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• Visitor information centre
  • Visitor information centre(external link) (PDF, 474KB)

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Locally, regionally, nationally

• For the local community and road users, it will bring economic and social benefit.
  • It will support planned residential, commercial, and industrial development at Te Puke, Papamoa East and Rangiuru Business Park. This enables growth and productivity gains along the eastern corridor in a sustainable and managed way, benefiting the western Bay of Plenty as a whole.
  • Our traffic modelling tells us the Tauranga Eastern Link, once complete, may reduce the time of a return trip between Paengaroa and Te Maunga by up to 24 minutes, driving down the cost of transport.
  • The road will be a four lane highway with a median barrier which will provide safer traffic flow, thus reducing the number of serious and fatal crashes.
  • It is predicted to take regional traffic, particularly heavy traffic, out of main street Te Puke and Waitangi which will mean less noise and pollution and safer access for pedestrians and other users wanting to conduct their business or community activities in the main streets.
  • The new suburb of Papamoa East will have both state highway and local road access to ensure, as far as possible, that neither option is congested with too many cars. In other words creating a balanced road network. 

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• Regionally, once complete, this project is expected to deliver several growth benefits.
  • Contribute to a sustainable growth management strategy - to ensure that the consequences of unmanaged growth such as, unplanned infill housing, traffic congestion and in some areas, a poorer standard of living do not happen.
  • Improve productivity for commercial transport operators – certainty of travel times is critical for business productivity and growth, and as it is a key strategic transport corridor it will help develop more efficient transport movements and enhance access for the Bay of Plenty region to Tauranga from the east (Te Puke, Whakatane, Kawerau, Opotiki, Gisborne) and south (Rotorua, Taupo). This is a key route for trucks servicing the Port of Tauranga.
  • Reduce congestion in key areas to help enable future growth – by providing a safer and more direct route for vehicles travelling between Tauranga and Paengaroa. Currently, 21,000 vehicles use State Highway 2 each day between Te Maunga and Te Puke. 

  National freight networks could result in increased productivity as the Tauranga Eastern Link will enable more efficient transport movements from southern and eastern Bay of Plenty to the Port of Tauranga.

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Environment

• The following mitigation measures have been addressed in the environmental management plan
  • Protection of the Kaituna Wildlife Reserve ecological area, measures such as; ground water monitoring, road stormwater isolation, bird count and habitat survey prior to construction and Kahikatea dominated vegetation on the sound bund.
  • Replanting of the Northern Oxbow by the Kaituna River.
  • Construction management plans for stormwater, sediment, traffic and noise.
  • Low-noise road surfacing in sensitive areas.
  • Noise barriers and fencing for recreational areas.
  • Maintain local construction roads.
  • Dust mitigation for horticulture.
  • Public information programme. 

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• Related environment links
  • Caring for our environment(external link) (PDF, 334KB)
  • Tauranga Eastern Link urban design report

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