$14m for Stone Store bypass

A Drury-based firm has won a $14 million construction contract for a landmark roading project in the Far North designed to protect New Zealand's oldest buildings.

The HEB Smithbridge consortium successfully tendered $13,989,712 to build Kerikeri's long-planned Heritage bypass.

The 1.6km bypass will take all through traffic out of the historic Kerikeri Basin and Stone Store precinct on a new route running from Kerikeri Rd to Waipapa Rd near Blue Marlin Drive.

The project includes a bridge over the Kerikeri River, a cycleway and footpath, and a footbridge over the river within the basin.

Work on the project is expected to start early in November and work is scheduled to finish late in 2008.