Open day for $520m roading project

Several open days would be held to inform the public on the $520m SH2 roading project. Photo/file

A series of public open days will be held next week to further inform the public on the $520 million State Highway 2 roading project.

The open days would be an opportunity for affected landowners, stakeholders and the community to talk with the project team and see the latest project information.

In April the Transport Agency Board approved the funding for the project which would transform the Waihi to Tauranga stretch of road over the next ten or more years.

The package includes the $286m Tauranga Northern Link (TNL); $85m worth of safety improvements designed to reduce death and serious injury crashes; and up to $150 million to provide for future traffic growth, paving the way for an upgrade between Omokoroa and Te Puna.

The Transport Agency has encouraged people to go along to one of the open days to see how the investment would make SH2 a more reliable and safe road, Bay of Plenty highways manager Niclas Johansson said.

"There will be information about the funding, when and where things will start happening, and what is involved going forward.

The Tauranga Northern Link will be a big focus but we know people will also want to find out exactly what we are looking at in individual communities too.

"The aim of these open days is to answer as many questions as possible and to get ideas and valuable feedback about what we are proposing from the community and other key stakeholders," Mr Johansson said.

Three information sessions would be held:

· Thursday 28 July, 2:30 - 6:30pm
Katikati Resource Centre, 45 Beach Rd, Katikati

· Friday 29 July, 3 - 7pm
Te Puna Tavern, 15B Minden Rd, Te Puna

· Saturday 30 July, 11 - 2pm
Omokoroa Settlers Hall, Omokoroa Road, Omokoroa