Ōmokoroa: New interim roundabout to be built at notorious intersection

The current intersection has been described as horrible by one Ōmokoroa resident. Photo / Supplied

The planned roundabout at the intersection of Ōmokoroa Rd and State Highway 2 is a "good step forward", but locals would like a more permanent solution.

A new interim roundabout will be built at the intersection, Ōmokoroa Rd will be four-laned from SH2 to Prole Rd and a second roundabout at the future Francis Rd intersection will also be built to service the industrial area.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council secured $38 million from Kāinga Ora and $5 million from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency for the upgrade.

Ōmokoroa General Carriers director John Leek said the roundabout was a good step forward, but he thought the money should go towards completing the full Takitimu North Link that would see the road four-laned from Ōmokoroa to Tauranga.

"I don't know why they don't just finish the road properly," Leek said.

Construction has started on stage one of the TNL, a 6.8km four-lane expressway from Te Puna to Tauranga.

In June last year, the Government announced stage two from Te Puna to Ōmokoroa would not happen within the next three years, with work said to be unlikely within the next 10 years.

Leek said the traffic at that intersection affected his business by "eating into the drivers' days" and it could take him up to 15 minutes to turn right between 7am and 8am.

The transport service has a fleet of 35 trucks and does up to 100 vehicle movements per day through the SH2 intersection to the depot on Ōmokoroa Rd.

"The congestion trying to get out onto the highway is horrendous. From 6.30am or 6.45am until 9am it's hard to get out of Ōmokoroa Rd onto the state highway."

He said it's worse turning right towards Katikati.

A draft design of the intersection. Photo / Supplied

Leek was in the Ōmokoroa Volunteer Fire Brigade for 40 years and had been to "a lot of accidents at that intersection".

He said the roundabout would "definitely help" with safety getting in and out of Ōmokoroa.

Dan Hesson started a petition calling for a roundabout at the "horrible" intersection a year ago out of frustration at the number of accidents happening there.

"I'm sick and tired of pulling out of there and risking our lives," Hesson said.

"It sounds a bit dramatic, but it is a really hard place to turn out of and it is dangerous."

Hesson has lived in Ōmokoroa for five years and was "stoked" the roundabout was happening. However, he was also sceptical if it would go ahead due to the number of times governments had changed their mind about the TNL.

He'd like to see the full TNL constructed and said the roundabout "may not be the ideal thing, but it's better than nothing".

"It's about keeping things safer and I just don't want a family or anyone to be wiped out because of how bad this road is at the moment."

Ōmokoroa Volunteer Fire Brigade chief fire officer Ian Blunt said it was great construction of the roundabout is programmed to start this financial year.

"Any works to improve traffic flows and make the Ōmokoroa Rd/SH2 a safer intersection to negotiate is a bonus for emergency service workers, both paid staff, volunteers and commuters alike."

Western Bay of Plenty Mayor Garry Webber said: "Being pragmatic, anything is better than what we've got at the moment.

"Whilst we ideally want the interchange, the roundabout will be a big roundabout, where traffic is going have to slow down significantly and that will make it a lot safer leaving Ōmokoroa."

Webber, who is also an Ōmokoroa resident, said it went "hand in glove" with stage one of the TNL and once that, and the roundabout were complete there should be "significant improvement" in travel times into Tauranga.

"Once they're both done, which will be about 2026/2027, that should make life in Ōmokoroa a lot easier than it is today."

The roundabout would be a minimum 10-year interim solution to address the immediate needs of the intersection until funding becomes available to build a full interchange.

Construction on the first stage of the roundabout may begin during the 2022/2023 construction season, with completion expected in 2025.

- Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air.