Next step to new road across Ruahine Ranges

The indefinite closure of State Highway 3 through the Manawatu Gorge remains in place, with the New Zealand Transport Agency's latest geotechnical assessment showing ongoing movement in the area around Kerry's Wall, with the risk too high to allow the public past the site.

Moving forward on the new route, Te Ahu a Tūranga: Manawatū Tararua Highway, a Notice of Requirement (NoR) to designate land for the proposed road corridor will be lodged this month with the Tararua, Manawatū and Palmerston North councils.

The NoR is a critical step to obtain statutory Resource Management Act (RMA) approvals to authorise the proposed new road across the Ruahine Ranges.

Once lodged, local councils will publicly notify the documentation and allow people and groups to lodge submissions with the councils. A public hearing will then be held where the NZTA and all submitters are able to be heard.

Following the designation process, additional RMA consents will need to be obtained from Horizons Regional Council to authorise works such as earthworks, discharges to ground and water, as well as works in streams and rivers. These consents will be applied for once the detailed design of the project has been developed.

The NZTA will hold a series of information sessions for the public to view the NoR, with information on the current preliminary design, what effects construction will have and how they intend to mitigate these.

People will also be able to view an updated flyover animation. The information sessions will be held in early November in Dannevirke, Pahiatua, Woodville, Palmerston North, Feilding and Ashhurst, with the sessions advertised in the Dannevirke News and on social media.

Meanwhile, wet weather has been making maintenance of the Saddle Rd difficult, with only minor pothole patching possible. However, the NZTA is planning more extensive maintenance once the weather improves and will operate west-bound closures while this work is underway.

The Saddle Rd upgrade project will continue this year with the road works at the summit. The NZTA will also be completing various overlays to improve the strength of the road, which should reduce the need for maintenance works.

Work will also continue on the extensive maintenance programme on the Pahīatua Track.
And the work to realign the road onto Woodlands Rd near Woodville, to improve the safety and efficiency of the intersections and rural roads around Woodville has begun.

There will be some delays, but contractors will endeavour to keep any disruptions to a minimum and the work is expected to be completed by Christmas.

• You can find information on roadworks on the alternative routes, the Saddle Rd and the Pahīatua Track, on the NZTA regional Facebook page www.facebook.com/nztacni/