Waikato Expressway Project – NZ Transport A
go to tender for detailed design and construction . The 15.4km project has a target contract award of April 2015 and opening date of 2019 . The estimated cost is around $ 470 million .
The section passes to the east side of the Huntly township and through the Taupiri Range , connecting to the completed Ngaruawahia section at Gordonton Road . It is expected to reduce traffic congestion and improve safety within the Huntly and Taupiri townships by significantly reducing through traffic .
The Hamilton section is in the secondary investigation and specimen design stage , with consenting processes under way . The 21.8km road – the longest stretch on the Expressway – has a target opening date of 2019 and is estimated at $ 790 million . It meets with the Ngaruawahia section in the north , runs to the east of Hamilton , and will connect to the existing Tamahere interchange just south of Hamilton . Like the Huntly section , the Hamilton section is expected to reduce traffic congestion and improve safety on the local road network by reducing through traffic .
The 5.9km Longswamp section is currently in the secondary investigation stage and has a target completion date of 2018 . The $ 70 million project will link the already completed Mercer section to the north with the Rangiriri section to the south .
Collaboration with local Maori Maori are New Zealand ’ s indigenous people and they have strong cultural ties to the land . With a project of this magnitude , many Maori in the region are keenly interested in how projects will impact on land and waterways .
“ There are areas along the length of the Expressway project , particularly around Rangiriri and Huntly , where there are sites sacred to Maori . As a consequence they have a very strong interest in the development of our projects and are keen to contribute in any way in order to ensure that the completed projects acknowledge the sacred nature of the sites ,” said Simcock .
To ensure that Maori interests are satisfactorily addressed , the Transport Agency engages closely with Waikato-Tainui , the main tribe in the region , and their representatives
322 September 2014