The Government will inject another $24 million into Rotorua’s transport network according to transport minister Simon Bridges.
The new transport package will focus on the city’s eastern and central corridors and will include an upgrade to State Highway 30/Te Ngae Road with a new roundabout at the Te Ngae and Tarawera Road intersection as well as turning a section of Te Ngae Road into four lanes.
Improved walking and cycling connections will also be part of the $24m upgrade.
“This work will complement the more than $17 million worth of transport projects already announced in Rotorua including the $8.1 million SH5 Hemo Road roundabout, $5.5 in cycling and $3.5 million in safety improvements,” says Bridges.
“The Government is committing to future-proofing Rotorua’s transport network and today’s announcement brings our total roading investment in the area to $41 million,” he says.
“The Government has been working closely with Rotorua Lakes Council to look at the best way to future-proof the city’s transport network, resolve congestion issues and address challenges surrounding local road access,” says Bridges.
“Rotorua’s eastern corridor is the location for the majority of future residential and employment development in the city,” he says.
“It is a vital transport route and serves both an inter-regional and local function,” says Bridges.
Bridges says investigations carried out by the NZ Transport Agency under the Government’s Accelerated Regional Roading Programme recommend dismissing the previous option of the Rotorua Eastern Arterial (REA).
“For some time the REA was seen as the long-term solution, but investigations have recommended upgrading State Highway 30 / Te Ngae Road to support growth and improve Rotorua’s congestion issues,” says Bridges.
“The Government has asked the NZ Transport Agency to take a further look at options for Rotorua’s long term transport network and report back before making any final decision on whether to lift the designation for the REA,” he says.
“We will be engaging with stakeholders and are keen to hear what the community thinks,” says Bridges.
“Rotorua is a key connection point for road transport in the central and upper North Island, connecting industries such as tourism and forestry with the Port of Tauranga,” he says.
“This investment in Rotorua’s transport network is designed to support economic growth and development, help ease congestion and improve road safety,” says Bridges.
Preparation for the upgrades will get underway this year, and work will be carried out over the next two to three years.
The works will be co-funded by the Government through the NZ Transport Agency and Rotorua Lakes Council, and will include funding from the Urban Cycleways Fund with potential for further investment based on growth.
