Tauranga City Council is working on constructing a new interchange connecting the eastern end of Te Okuroa Drive to the Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road / SH2.

This is to unlock development at Pāpāmoa East and allow further growth at Golden Sands and Wairākei, council says in a statement about the interchange.

"The new Pāpāmoa East Interchange will provide a much-needed alternative way in and out of Pāpāmoa, improving connectivity with Tauranga city centre, Mount Maunganui, Te Puke and the wider Bay of Plenty," says the council statement.

"The new interchange is expected to open mid-2026. 

"In this final phase of construction you’ll start seeing the interchange take shape."

This phase includes the construction of:

Traffic impacts on the Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road / State Highway 2 (SH2)

• the interchange and abutments
• bridge on and offramps
• the Sands Avenue connection between the bridge and the new intersection at Te Okuroa Drive
• all waters infrastructure
• To keep drivers and crew safe during construction alongside the motorway, a 2km section of the outer lanes of the SH2 in both directions will be closed. This closure will remain for the duration of construction, and speed in the work section will be reduced to 70km/h.

Image; Tauranga City Council.

"We'd like to thank you in advance for your patience during this work."

For more information, visit letstalk.tauranga.govt.nz/pe