The final stage of the construction on the Pyes Pa Bypass on State Highway 36 will start early in February.
NZTA state highway manager Rod James says the $8.4 million dollar contract is to construct the remaining 4.2km of the Pyes Pa Bypass.

File Graphic.

'This is another important piece in the overall Bay of Plenty roading strategy. Once completed, the Pyes Pa Bypass will provide more efficient access to and from downtown Tauranga via Route K and remove inter-regional traffic from the residential section of State Highway 36 Pyes Pa Road.”
The first 400 metres of the bypass was constructed in 2006 by Grasshopper Farms under an agreement reached as part of The Lakes subdivision.
Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby says the new bypass would be a valuable asset for the city.
'Tauranga is growing fast and as a city we need to make sure we are putting infrastructure in place which provides solutions for now and will continue to do so as the city grows.
Once it's finished, the new bypass will provide seamless flow for traffic coming from Mount Maunganui through Route K and on to Pyes Pa and Rotorua via State Highway 36.”
The majority of the construction will be undertaken off road with minimal disruption to traffic.
The bypass should be opened to traffic in July 2011.