Plans to reduce congestion and improve walking and cycling facilities between Fifteenth Avenue, Turret Road and Welcome Bay Road are open for community feedback.
The Connecting the people. Fifteenth Avenue to Welcome Bay project aims to reduce single occupancy vehicle use and make it more attractive to travel by bus, walk, cycle or scooter.
This is one of the key projects in the Western Bay of Plenty Transport System Plan - a shared transport vision for the region over the next 30 years to make sure transport projects are not done in isolation and that they work for everyone.
Tauranga City Council Director of Transport Brendan Bisley says as Tauranga continues to grow, this key route will become even more important.
“We know there are challenges for people travelling in this area. Over the years, many studies have been carried out on this route, with valuable feedback provided by the community. Council now has an opportunity to seek funding from Government to improve transport in this area and we’re working closely with our partners, mana whenua, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency to achieve that,” he says.
Proposed options for improvements to Fifteenth Avenue, Turret Road, Hairini Bridge and causeway and Welcome Bay Road include:
- High occupancy vehicle (T2 or T3) lanes or bus priority lanes.
- A third lane between Burrows Street and SH29A interchange (across the Hairini Bridge and causeway).
- A clip-on shared path on the Hairini Bridge (for people walking, cycling, scootering or using a mobility device).
- New shared paths and improved on-road cycle facilities.
- New signalised crossings on Fifteenth Avenue and Welcome Bay Road.
- Safety improvements including 30km speed zones near schools, raised tables on the approaches to some intersections and centre median barriers on Fifteenth Avenue.
- A turnaround bay is proposed for Turret Road near the Hairini Bridge to provide drivers a place to turn safely.
Brendan says considering a long-term option is also part of the planning. “We are investigating when four lanes between Burrows Street and SH29A Interchange might be needed. We do not believe this will be needed in the short term and will use further test results on the bridge life expectancy and traffic modelling to understand timing.”
A three-lane option across the Hairini Bridge and causeway will cost about $100m, compared to $300m (high level estimates only) for a continuation of four lanes from Burrows Street to the end of the Hairini causeway and could take many years to establish. The additional costs relate to the need to purchase property and build a new bridge.
“We believe the three-lane option is a good short to medium term option to make the best use of the existing bridge for its remaining life, improve transport choices along the corridor and reduce congestion,” he says.
Feedback from the community will help inform the business case to seek funding from central government and develop a detailed design. Further consultation will be done with the community at this time.
Community consultation is open from Wednesday 13 September to Friday 6 October 2023. To have your say, head to letstalk.tauranga.govt.nz/welcomebay.
Chat to the project team in person at the community drop-in sessions on Thursday 21 September anytime between 12pm - 2pm or 3.30pm – 5.30pm at Welcome Bay Hall, 244 Welcome Bay Road.
