New funds speed up east arterial plan

Mayor Steve Chadwick

New timeframes for work on the controversial Rotorua Eastern Arterial will not be known until a new investigation and design phase is completed.

New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) Waikato/Bay of Plenty regional director Harry Wilson said the agency welcomed the announcement of additional funding to speed up work on the route.

On Sunday, the National Government announced it would sink $212 million into 14 regional roading projects, including $12 million to "accelerate investigation and design" of the Rotorua Eastern Arterial (REA) project and others in Nelson and Hawke's Bay.

The proposed arterial route would run from the airport to Sala St, through the traditional land of three Te Arawa hapu, taking through traffic off Te Ngae Rd.

The REA has been on the books since the early 1960s and has come up against serious opposition from hapu who say Te Ngae Rd should be widened to accommodate more traffic.

Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick and MP Todd McClay said they welcomed the announcement, both saying it was a positive step forward and the road was essential to Rotorua's future economic development.

Mr Wilson said the NZTA had been working closely with iwi, businesses and the community to review possible solutions to the movement of freight and people into and around the region for some time. "We are focused on continuing those conversations and working together moving forward.

"These projects have been signalled by local councils as high priority for some time.

"However, most of the projects were unlikely to go ahead under normal transport funding settings for a number of years."

The NZTA had stated that no work would begin on the project until between 2020 and 2025.

Mr Wilson said he did not know at this stage when the new investigation and design phase would begin. "Following investigation and design the project could then be considered for funding under the proposed regional improvements activity class in the next Government policy statement on land transport, which is currently out for public consultation.

"Moving forward, the agency is focused on listening to iwi, businesses and the local community to find the best long term solution."

The Automobile Association has also come out in support of the project.

Bay of Plenty District chairman Barry Benton said they believed the route would reduce congestion on Te Ngae Rd and reduce travel times for freight. "Which will be good for businesses."

Editorial, p10