Eastern Link: Artefacts discovered

Forty archaeological sites have been discovered as work on the Bay's largest roading project reaches its final stages.

The $455 million Tauranga Eastern Link project is about 75 per cent complete and New Zealand Transport Agency senior project manager Wayne Troughton said motorists would be able to travel the highway by late 2015.

The Bay of Plenty Times took a tour of the new route with Mr Troughton yesterday, which revealed just how close the team was to completing the 23km, four-lane state highway.

Mr Troughton said the transport agency had set aside an urupa (Maori burial site) near the Kaituna wetland in case human remains were discovered, however, it had not yet been used.

"To date no human remains have been found, which is amazing considering the scope of this project," he said.

"However we have found other remnants of the region's history, things like hangi and kumara pits, household objects and shards of obsidian which signal a workshop and show people were creating tools in the area."

Mr Troughton said seeing the project take shape after three years was "extremely exciting".

"At this stage we are ahead of the programme. Things have gone extremely smoothly; a lot faster than we expected," he said.

"Originally we expected to be finished by early 2016 but now we are looking at late 2015 and if we get a good winter this year, perhaps even earlier."

The new east-bound lane from Mangatawa to Domain Rd was expected to open in a month's time, following last week's opening of the Tara Rd roundabout.

Motorists will also be able to use Paengaroa roundabout just after Easter.

Large sections of the road were ready for seal, with key construction milestones such as the Parton Rd bridge and toll gantry foundations set for April and May. The Paengaroa weigh station was set to open in June, a 7km cycle track was taking shape alongside the motorway and Papamoa's predicted growth was being foreshadowed with power cables being laid.

Mr Troughton said a number of large-scale art projects were being considered for sites around the Eastern Link, including a modern pa structure, a 4m high piece near the Kaituna Bridge and a gateway structure.