Maps

Partnering with Muaūpoko and hapū from Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga, we’ve been working with landowners, community groups, key stakeholders and Councils to continue the technical investigations to identify the preferred alignment of the new highway.

From this mahi we have developed preliminary concept designs for the new highway which we are sharing with you.

While we have a long way to go from our current design to complete, detailed design, we’ve developed core design principles which will continue to guide our work. We will:

• tread lightly, with the whenua
• create an enduring legacy.

Waka Kotahi has announced the preferred alignment of the new Ōtaki to north of Levin highway, which has been assessed as the optimal location for the road from our work to date.

Site investigations and design work over the last two years have provided increasing confidence in the location of the new highway.

This work included feedback from property owners, iwi, stakeholders and the wider community when we announced the draft preferred alignment in August 2020 and the refined draft preferred alignment in March 2021.

The preferred alignment map below shows preliminary concept design lines of the new highway and shared user path. At this time, the 300m-wide preferred corridor we announced in December 2018 has been removed from the plans – as we have increased certainty about where the road will go.

The preferred alignment will be used as a basis to prepare the road designation Notice of Requirement and resource consent applications in 2022. Further adjustments will be needed as Waka Kotahi completes this work and completes land requirement plans.

Waka Kotahi has announced the refinements to the draft preferred alignment of the new Ōtaki to north of Levin highway. These refinements follow the draft preferred alignment announced in August 2020, within the 300m-wide preferred corridor announced in December 2018.

Following property owner, iwi, stakeholder and community input, and further technical assessments, Waka Kotahi has made adjustments to the draft alignment in a number of areas. The most recent update is known as the ‘refined draft preferred alignment’.

Technical investigations are continuing on the corridor, and this along with property owner feedback will inform any further adjustments to the alignment. In late 2021, this will be considered for adoption as the final preferred alignment.

The next stage of design includes factors such as road elevation and key structures, and understanding environmental and social effects such as possible noise or visual impacts, and considering how these can be avoided, minimised or mitigated.

The preferred alignment will be used as a basis to prepare the road designation Notice of Requirement and resource consent applications in 2022. Further adjustments will be needed as Waka Kotahi completes this work and completes land requirement plans.

The draft preferred alignment represents the technically best performing option based on work across multiple fields, balancing project objectives, environmental and social impacts and ability to implement. Following feedback and further technical assessments and fieldwork, refinements to the draft preferred alignment.

Following property owner, iwi, stakeholder and community input, and further technical assessments, Waka Kotahi will consider refinements to the draft preferred alignment by early 2021. This will then be considered for adoption as the final preferred alignment later in 2021.