Saddle Rd upgrade go ahead

New Zealand Transport Agency is to fully fund a $4.5 million upgrade to the Saddle Road.

The project, to improve resilience and safety on the road, will be led by Tararua District Council that owns around 80 per cent of the route, says Delaney Myers, transport agency planning and investment manager.

He said the council had established the "scope of the project" and construction tenders would be called after a detailed design is completed.

Manawatu District Council and Palmerston North City Council also partner the project, which is expected to be completed in the upcoming financial year.

Blair King, Tararua District Council chief executive, is pleased with the partnership and the "future benefits" the relationship would bring.

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"The upgrade of the Saddle Road is a significant infrastructure project for Tararua District Council and will provide a secure secondary route access, West-East - connecting services for all of the region's benefit."

Ms Myers said the work comes in the wake of about $5 million worth of repairs and improvements since massive slips closed the Manawatu Gorge in 2011.

"The work to repair the damage from the previous closure was recently finished and means the Saddle Road is already much better equipped to handle detoured traffic than it was when the gorge was closed.

"The closure of the Manawatu Gorge highlighted the importance of having a high quality alternative route to act as a lifeline for this region's community and local industry," Ms Myers said.

Closures of the gorge are uncommon, she said, but "hugely disruptive" and the planned revamp will help "to foster economic productivity and send a firm signal that Manawatu is open for business regardless of what Mother Nature has up her sleeve".

"We are delighted with the collaborative and professional approach of our local authority partners and look forward to working alongside them to deliver this project."