Preferred option for SH3 Manawatū Gorge replacement announced
27 March 2018
NZ Government:
The
NZ Transport Agency has selected a
preferred option for a new State Highway 3 route to replace the closed
Manawatū Gorge, connecting the Manawatū, Tararua District, Hawke’s Bay
and northern Wairarapa regions.
The preferred option selected is Option 3 of the four shortlisted
options, which runs from near the Te Apiti carpark western entry of the
closed Manawatū Gorge, cross the Ruahine Ranges north of the Gorge,
before emerging at Woodville.
NZ Transport Agency Director Regional Relationships Emma Speight
says after a thorough investigation and extensive consultation, Option 3
emerged as the safest and most resilient route that best balances the
combined needs of the communities, businesses and
road users who will
utilise it.
“Everybody understands just how important a replacement for the Gorge
is. It will re-establish a key strategic transport and freight link that
supports the needs of the people and economies of Central
New Zealand.”
Ms Speight says.
“Alongside this, the Transport Agency has committed to advancing
investigations for a Regional Freight Ring Road, including a second road
bridge across the Manawatū River, which stakeholders across the region
see as a critical package to unlocking regional economic development
opportunities.”
The Detailed
Business Case process will begin immediately, covering a
ten year programme of work, targeted for completion at the same time of
the replacement route for the Manawatū Gorge.
Horizons Regional Council Chairman Bruce Gordon says that progressing a
Regional Freight Ring Road in parallel with the Manawatū Gorge
replacement route would be a significant step forward for the region.
“It would connect key freight hubs and bring significant improvements to
freight and passenger vehicle movements through the Central North Island
hub of Manawatū, improving travel times and lowering costs. This better
positions the region to attract investment in logistics, manufacturing
and processing, which is critical for the region’s future growth and
prosperity,” Mr Gordon says.
The inclusion of a second bridge over the Manawatū River would assist in
building the region’s resilience, provide a safer and more effective
connection between some of the region’s key industrial areas, and remove
heavy trucks from Palmerston North’s city centre.
Palmerston North City Council Mayor Grant Smith says engagement with
regional stakeholders to reach a solution that achieves wider strategic
objectives for both the region and the country as a whole was important.
“It is important for unlocking future regional economic development that
the new State Highway 3 link offers connectivity and alignment to a
proposed Regional Freight Ring
Road and a new
bridge. We are pleased this package of work achieves this,” Mr Smith
says.
“It is a great example of central and local government collaboration to
optimise public investment in infrastructure for the long term, and
reflects the impact of the new Government Policy Statement on Transport,
which requires regional economic development considerations to be taken
into account.”
Tararua District Mayor Tracey Collis says that this outcome has strong
support from a range of local authorities and industry representatives.
“The ongoing instability of the Gorge, which ultimately led to its
closure in April 2017, has caused huge disruption for the region. The
replacement route has been a matter of priority for the local councils
and mayors and its pleasing to have worked so constructively with the
Transport Agency to reach a decision that addresses both the immediate
issue and the longer term strategic issues for the Tararua District and
the wider region,” Ms Collis says.
A detailed business case on the new SH3 route will be finalised over the
next few weeks. The project team will then seek resource consents with
construction planned to begin in 2020, with the new road completed by
2024.
Option 3 will have an average incline gradient of 5.8%, with a maximum
of 8% (in comparison, the current main alternative route, the Saddle
Road, has a maximum gradient of 16%).
Travel time is estimated to be 13 minutes for general traffic (compared
to an average 16.7 minutes that it took to travel the Manawatū Gorge).
--ENDS--
Source: New Zealand Government - www.beehive.govt.nz
Contact: N/A
External Links: www.nzta.govt.nz/sh3-manawatu-gorge
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