All roads have led to a $1.2 billion boost for Tauranga's economy

Tauranga is riding high on a golden decade of road building with at least $1.2 billion being pumped into the city's economy.
The financial injection from 2007-17 offers desperately needed jobs and development at a time when the recession continues to depress property markets.
By far the most significant project will be the $455 million Tauranga Eastern Link from Baypark to Paengaroa.
It is the next phase in a series of major projects to future-proof the Western Bay as one of the country's emerging economic powerhouses.
The Cabinet's decision last month to fund $100 million of the motorway from tolls has brought forward the project by seven years, with construction due to start early next year, aiming for a 2016 opening.
The decision follows the completion of the second Harbour Bridge and flyover (Harbour Link) - the main components of a $255 million project that cured congestion at a critical point in the city's roading network.
In another breakthrough for Tauranga, a feasibility study into options to unlock the congested Maunganui Rd/Girven Rd intersection at Bayfair has shown that the upgrade should go to the ultimate solution of building a flyover for straight-through highway traffic.
The Bay's acting state highways manager, Kevin Reid, said an application had been lodged to fund the project's investigation phase. If successful, he expected the investigation would start this year. Estimated project costs were $37 million.
The last major roading project to free up access into the city was the $200 million Northern Link, a 6.8km road linking Route K with Te Puna, via a cutting through Cambridge Rd near Moffat Rd. This project to bypass Bethlehem was in the $3 million investigation phase, with drilling under way to help identify the exact route.
The $7 million design stage will be considered for funding in the next two years, followed by the critical final decision of when to build the road. This is expected before 2017.
Meantime, motorists are enjoying a series of smaller roading gains, starting with the just-opened $3.6 million Beaumaris Ave linking Bethlehem Heights and Sterling Gate directly into Waihi Rd.
And dangerous traffic manoeuvres outside the Bethlehem Town Centre should be a thing of the past, with the opening of the roundabout at the western end of the shops. The second stage of the $3.6 million project was to four-lane the highway between the roundabouts at either end of the shopping centre.
Work should be completed early December.
Tauranga's next big roading milestone will be the opening next July of the $51 million Pyes Pa bypass.
It will remove highway traffic from Tauranga's residential end of Pyes Pa Rd (SH36), and provide more efficient access between the highway, the downtown and the port via the Route K toll road.
Usage of the toll road has shot up by 12-14 per cent a month since the new Harbour Bridge opened last December.
Route K was used by more than 5000 vehicles a day during four days in June, with the best figures being 5334.
Council chief executive Stephen Town said Route K was going in the right direction but there was still a long way to go.
Progress on Western Bay's other major roading projects includes:
The $100 million Hairini Link: Aims to reduce congestion by increasing capacity along Hairini, Turret Rd and 15th Ave.
A public open day will be held in September to detail options and seek comments. Tenders will be awarded in the next few weeks on the project's first stage - improving the 15th Ave/Fraser St intersection by creating a left-turning lane into Fraser St for west-bound traffic.
The $70 million Tauriko bypass: A $1.2 million contract has been awarded for the investigation phase of a project which will most probably result in the construction of a bypass around the existing section of highway between Belk Rd and the Route K roundabout.
The council has agreed to buy 4D Belk Rd for $1.27 million to secure land needed where the bypass was proposed to leave the highway.
The council would be reimbursed by the agency if the final decision favoured the route through the valley now being developed into a huge industrial estate. The council paid the market valuation.
The $20 million-plus Katikati Bypass: An investigation was under way to make sure the existing route designation met the future needs of the town.
A funding application for the design phase was expected to be lodged about the middle of next year.
The $5 million upgrade of the Omokoroa/SH2 intersection: An application for design funding of $318,000 was expected soon.