Hill Rd target for $71m 'fix'

Greater Wellington Regional Council's transport committee prioritised the Rimutaka Hill road sixth out of 17 transport projects it wants the Government to fund.

The treacherous Rimutaka Hill Rd may get a $71 million upgrade over the next six years.

Greater Wellington Regional Council's transport committee prioritised the road sixth out of 17 transport projects it wants the Government to fund, in a draft plan tabled at a meeting on Tuesday.

NZTA has previously spent $16 million smoothing out Muldoon's Corner, the sharpest and tightest corner on the road, which it ranks as one of the country's most dangerous.

The committee, made up of all the region's mayors, has signalled it wants to improve the safety and alignment of the road.

Exactly what will be done to it is yet to be determined but Two Bobs Corner, the guardrail and Jims Corner have been previously identified for improvements.

Top on the committee's list is $8.2 million for Paraparaumu roads to be able to cope with increases in traffic resulting from the Kapiti Expressway and $72.4 million in upgrades on roads between Hutt Valley and Wellington.

The committee also wants to see a new $151.6 million road built, linking SH1 at Grenada to SH2 at Petone.

The draft plan sets out all of the land transport activities proposed in the region for the next six years by councils, GWRC and the NZTA.

It also prioritises the integrated fare system for public transport project at No11 which could see bus and train users using a single card to get around the region.

Public consultation on the plan opens next year on January 19 and closes February 13.

The final plan must be agreed by the committee, adopted by GWRC, then submitted to the NZ Transport Agency by the end of April 2015.