The Bay of Plenty's largest road project is halfway complete as the NZ Transport Agency's ‘To Do' list decreases.
The $455million Tauranga Eastern Link is set to be completed in late 2015 and is making steady progress with most of the structures under construction, says state highways manager Brett Gliddon.
The Tauranga Eastern Link is due to be complete in the middle of 2015.
In the coming weeks, drivers will see a lot of activity around Mangatawa and Domain Road, with a number of traffic switches onto sections of new road planned for late October.
Other work will include a new roundabout at Paengaroa, two new overpasses at Parton Road and Maketu Road, the laying of 23km of four-lane road pavement and landscaping, lighting and barriers being installed.
Brett says the region has waited for a long time for the new Eastern Link Road, which will provide a safer and quicker journey from Te Maunga to Paengaroa.
'This new tolled highway will improve the safety of motorists from Te Maunga to Paengaroa, enable freight movements from the east and central parts of the region to be more efficient due to the travel time savings and support future growth in the east.”
Work to build the highway began in December 2010.
The forecasted completion date for the project was mid-2016, but thanks to the steady progress this has been moved to an earlier date of late 2015.
3 comments
Well Done
Posted on 18-09-2013 08:11 | By tabatha
Congratulations to all involved, great to read ahead of time and also keeping people informed.
Road to where?
Posted on 18-09-2013 08:36 | By JERRY CORNELIUS
Shame ... would a been a lot more use to link up with Hamilton and Auckland than Paengaroa. Little hard to follow the logic of it but I guess there is a benefit to some wandering that path.
@Jerry, try driving the route!
Posted on 18-09-2013 14:52 | By tabatha
I use to drive from Tauranga to Opotiki and back five days a week, once you came to Paengaroa turn off you were lucky to drive more than 80k all the way back. Caught behind trucks, slow cars etc and when you are behind in time that was it. All this part of the needs of a port.
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