Support to ease city's traffic woes

Steve Chadwick is backing calls for the New Zealand Transport Agency to investigate upgrading Te Ngae Rd. Photo / Stephen Parker

Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick has added her weight to calls to investigate upgrading Te Ngae Rd as an alternative solution to the city's eastern traffic needs.

"We need a transport solution that enhances our community, rather than divides it, which is why our council is committed to continuing to work with the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) and iwi to find a solution everyone is happy with," she said.

"We need certainty about traffic improvements and iwi need certainty about their land."

Her comments follow an approach by Rotorua MP Todd McClay to the NZTA asking the agency to revisit the option to upgrade Te Ngae Rd to meet growing regional traffic demands. It had the support of three local hapu which opposed the proposed Rotorua Eastern Arterial which would run through their land.

An efficient, effective eastern corridor was a key component of the Rotorua Lakes Council's long-term spatial planning, Mrs Chadwick said.

"But I agree with Todd that we can't wait 10 to 15 years for a long-term solution to be found. We need to get something in place much sooner than that.

"The Tauranga Eastern Link to the Mount will be finished very soon and that will reduce travel times between Rotorua and the Port of Tauranga," she said.

"Rotorua Lakes Council and community leaders in our district are working really hard to ensure Rotorua's a good investment. We're starting to see progress and investment now with the likes of Red Stag investing in a 'super mill' and Lumbercube redeveloping the old Tachikawa mill site.

"So it's really important we get this right - for the council, for iwi, for NZTA and for the good of Rotorua."

Mrs Chadwick agreed with Mr McClay's call for upgrades to the Tarawera Rd and Sala St intersections and for a new roundabout at Rotorua's airport as part of improving the eastern corridor through Rotorua.

"We've also got local Maori supporting an upgrade of Te Ngae Rd after strongly opposing an eastern arterial that was proposed to run through their land.

"They're needing some long-term reassurance."

The mayor said the council continued to work together with NZTA and iwi.

The recently-released Bay of Plenty Regional Growth Study highlighted the lack of an efficient road east of Rotorua as a potential problem for growth in the forestry sector.

It said it might constrain industry development in the sector.