It would be adjacent to the Town Centre shopping development.
Council transport planning engineer Clare Cassidy said an analysis of peak traffic flows along Te Okuroa Drive with the Papamoa East interchange showed 850 to 950 vehicles per hour, compared with 1400 to 1600 vehicles per hour without the interchange. A two-lane urban road typically had a capacity of 1300 to 1500 vehicles per hour.
She said the council was investigating whether bringing forward construction of the interchange to access Wairakei and Te Tumu near Bell Rd could defer or remove the need to four-lane a number of roads. This included Te Okuroa Drive, Domain Rd and Girven Rd. "This work will enable the council to review the timing of all projects in this area."
Council strategic planner Andrew Mead said most of the four-laning might never be required once the interchange was built. They were anticipating a contribution from the NZTA for the $25 million interchange.
Councillor Steve Morris said he had been prepared to support four-laning the first portion of Te Okuroa Drive but it raised the issue that there would be less need for the interchange, with reduced funding by the agency pushing the project back even further. "Papamoa East Interchange is the highest priority."