The first official step to building an overbridge over busy State Highway 29 has begun.
Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby, Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller and NZ Transport Agency acting Waikato/Bay of Plenty regional manager Dennis Crequer turned the first sod of the Poike Rd overbridge this morning.
The Poike
Rd overbridge will be constructed immediately north of State Highway 29A and the Poike Rd roundabout in Tauranga to address the demand to cross the state highway for pedestrians and cyclists.
The $1.8 million project will see a 46m long bridge and a 3m wide shared footpath and cycle path on the southern side of State Highway 29A between Ila Park and the Poike Rd roundabout.
Construction of the overbridge is expected to take three months from July to October and construction of the shared footpath will take a following three months with completion planned for January 2017.