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.