Welcome Bay Roundabout. Maunagatapu roundabout. Photo/file
It has been years in the making, but works to create Hairini underpass are expected to begin this month.
The underpass is set to be built in Maungatapu along State Highway 29. Preliminary work is set to start this month ahead of construction in September, said a release from the
New Zealand Transport Agency.
Plans for the underpass have been floating around for years, with Welcome Bay councillor Bill Grainger getting into a heated war or words with Mayor Stuart Crosby six years ago at the suggestion money earmarked for the project would be siphoned off to fund the Tauranga Eastern Link instead.
The Transport Agency's Bay of Plenty highways manager, Niclas Johansson said in the release that people will notice some activity around the site from this month as contractor Fulton Hogan begins preliminary works.
"Fulton Hogan Ltd was awarded the contract to design and build the Maungatapu underpass late last year. They have carried out detailed geotechnical work on the site over the past month and will now begin preliminary works to prepare the site for construction to begin." said Mr Johansson.
"The preliminary work includes clearing vegetation, installing drains to help keep the site dry when work starts, and removing eight houses from Hammond Street."
The underpass is part of the Transport Agency's Hairini Link project, which is focused on reducing congestion and boosting safety as traffic volumes in the area increase.
