Long awaited highway now open

The long-awaited East Taupo Arterial highway was officially opened yesterday, five months ahead of schedule.
A colourful convoy of classic cars and buses with a police escort transported more than 250 invited guests along the length of the new 16km highway, from Wairakei to Taupo Airport, following an official ribbon cutting ceremony. Transport Minister Steven Joyce and Tuwharetoa paramount chief Tumu Te Heuheu did the honours.
The $114 million highway, which has been on the drawing board for more than 50 years, was opened to general traffic late yesterday afternoon and is expected to greatly reduce traffic congestion through the Taupo township.
Most of the guests at the official opening had been involved with the project at various stages. They included previous Taupo mayors, past and present Members of Parliament, district councillors, council officers, roading consultants and contractors.
Mr Joyce said the completion of one of the longest single roading projects in the country ahead of schedule was a credit to contractors Fulton Hogan.
He said a unique funding arrangement with Taupo District Council had enabled the route to be built initially as local road - sharing the risk and leading to a positive outcome for all involved.
The new section of SH1 was a "safer, faster route" that offered "significant benefits" to the region and New Zealand - shortening the road journey between Wellington and Auckland and reducing traffic congestion in Taupo by taking heavy vehicles out of the centre of the town, the minister said.
Taupo Mayor Rick Cooper said the opening of the ETA represented an exciting new phase for the district and he acknowledged the significant contribution made by the community.
He said special thanks needed to go to previous Taupo mayors Clayton Stent and Joan Williamson-Orr and to various elected members on the Lake Taupo Borough and Taupo County and District Council who had worked tirelessly with central government and various agencies to make the highway a reality. Mr Cooper acknowledged the early efforts of local group - Foundation 21 Trust - set up by local businessman William Hindmarsh in the 1980s to lobby support for a bypass.
"It now opens going into summer and I am sure that the population of Taupo and the rest of the North Island will be pleased about that."
The $110 million highway was jointly funded by Taupo District Council and the NZ Transport Agency. Council's share of the project was around $25.8 million. Project manager Ron Boyle said $4 million of additional unbudgeted expenditure for long life foam bitumen was funded separately by NZTA.
The two-lane highway has a shared cycle and pedestrian path that runs from Centennial Dr in Taupo to the airport and a bridle path that also runs alongside most of the length of the highway. Legal processes transferring ownership of the highway from Taupo District Council to the NZ Transport Agency will be completed over the next few months.