Speaking on Thursday's gorge open day, Ross I'Anson (left) NZTA's regional transport systems manager, chats with Dannevirke's Jim Doyle. Photo Christine McKay
Woodville businesses affected by the closure of the Manawatu Gorge could be offered a life-line if Labour becomes the Government, list MP Kieran McAnulty says.
Attending the New Zealand Transport Agency's open day in Woodville on Thursday, Mr McAnulty said if Grant Robertson becomes the finance minister in a Labour coalition government, he'd look at support for affected businesses.
"Because of the timeframe we're facing for construction of a new road, I'm reiterating Labour's commitment before the election to pull every government lever to fast-track the proposal. The impact on Woodville justifies this," he said.
Mr McAnulty said he will also be pushing for support for the Tararua District Council because of the burden placed on its roading network while traffic is being diverted.
"Those costs have increased and the council only has a small rating base and maintaining all the country roads shouldn't fall on council," he said.
And whatever option is selected it needs future proofing, said David Aitken, the chief executive of New Zealand's largest road transport organisation, National Road Carriers.
"The replacement for the gorge road must be the best for the long-term future," Mr Aitkensaid.
Mr Aitken said the new road must meet the needs of all road users.
"The easier the gradient, the less likely our members' big rigs will hold up other traffic," he said. "Ideally, we would like to see two lanes on all uphill sections, or at the very least, lots of overtaking lanes and passing bays."
Mr Aitken said the NRC would prefer to see a new, modern engineered road, rather than an upgrade of the existing Saddle Rd, which is one of the four options suggested by NZTA.
"A 21st century engineered road will have gentler curves and be safer than whatever can be done to Saddle Rd. The new road had to be open 24/7 and will be a vital link between the east and west of the lower North Island."
Tararua District councillor and contractor Ernie Christison is also adamant the Saddle Rd shouldn't be the option chosen.
"Whatever they (NZTA) do they need to keep away from the Saddle and there will be a lot of irate people if construction is dragged out for six or seven years," he said. "Taking that long is a joke."
Tararua District Council deputy mayor Allan Benbow, who is a member of the group working on the business case studies for the new routes, said he doesn't want to see the Saddle Rd chosen.
"Any inconvenience or interruption during construction is simply unacceptable," he said. "It's bad enough for people having to travel to Palmerston North now on the Saddle Rd. We are living in the 21st century and we need a road fit for purpose. If motorists were interrupted on a regular basis by construction on the Saddle Rd, it wouldn't be fair."
While he personally prefers option 4, the route south of the gorge, Mr Benbow is urging Tararua people to speak up and express their views to the NZTA.
"That route 4 is almost direct, the gradients and curvatures are good and it will have crawler lanes," he said. "It will be a great route and the most direct to Palmerston North."
"However, option 3, the route south of the Saddle Rd, isn't a bad option either. It will have a bridge across the gorge which will allow people something of a view of the gorge."
A large number of people turned out for the NZTA open day in Woodville on Thursday and while many expressed concerns over the length of time construction will take, their message to NZTA was "just get on with it".
However, Dannevirke's Ian Mollison said it was practical to expect it to take a year for geological surveys, consultation, land purchases and consenting before the project began.
Woodville's John Bradley agreed.
"They've got to do a hell of a lot of homework and looking at the construction figures at the moment, you can probably double them," he said.
Mr McAnulty said NZTA should be applauded for ensuring the community voice was being heard.
"They have delivered four options which all go through Woodville, although I've certainly got concerns about the construction timeframes.
Tararua District mayor Tracey Collis said she met some of the landowners who could be impacted by the new routes and she also talked with those concerned the Saddle Rd could be chosen as the preferred option in December.
"People couldn't cope with the disruption," she said. "The timeframes for construction are long and we need to consider what that will do to families discretionary incomes and the rise in the cost of goods and services on Tararua.
"The closure of the gorge road is hurting, but that time delay in construction is something we have to face."
Ross I'Anson, NZTA's regional transport systems manager, told the Dannevirke News, there was "obviously a little bit of concern from property owners".
"We just have to make sure we get on with the right option and it's important this road is about people," he said.
Mr I'Anson said the blow out of the timeframes for construction from his earlier indicated three to four years had come about after the options were looked at in more depth and took into account consenting and negotiations with landowners.