1996 National Roading Programme: Waikato/BOP NRP news

The Waikato/Bay of Plenty regional spending for the 1996 National Roading Programme had the following main statistics:

• $99.47m for Waikato. State Highway maintenance and construction spending was the main output class, with 50% of spending. 
• $44.44m for the Bay of Plenty. State Highway maintenance and construction spending was the main output class, with 51% of spending.

Main increases for state highway spending were for additional reseals, additional pavement rehabilitation and additional road markings.

Safety projects of note were:

• Hamilton City arterial street lighting upgrade
• Rotokauri Street safety improvements, Hamilton City
• SH2 Sargents Corner realignment 
• SH27 Maukoro Landing Road intersection upgrade
• SH5 Tarukenga Curves Stage 2 realignment
• SH5 Tumunui South realignment
• 32.3km of seal extension throughout both regions

No new state highway construction projects were approved because of the high value of committed works, and all but two local road construction projects were seal extension projects. The seal extension projects were in Otorohonga District, Waitomo District, Opotiki District, Western Bay of Plenty District and Whakatane District.

Committed major projects included:

• SH1 Pokeno Bypass (extension of Waikato Expressway)
• SH1 Mangatawhiri Bridge realignment (part of Waikato Expressway)
• Hamilton City Pukete Arterial Stage 1
• SH2 Church-Timber Mill
• SH25 Kuaotunu Hill seal extension
• SH25 Coromandel-Whangapoua seal extension
• SH5 Earthquake Flats realignment

Transfund NRP news Hamilton Office 1996 p1

Transfund NRP news Hamilton Office 1996 p2

Transfund NRP news Hamilton Office 1996 p3

Transfund NRP news Hamilton Office 1996 p4

Transfund NRP news Hamilton Office 1996 p5

Transfund NRP news Hamilton Office 1996 p6

In Transit - September 1995 - Auckland Airport eastern access

 

In Transit September 1995 No. 67

Images of Auckland Airport eastern access bridge

Review of winter road closures, launch of state highway review

Quality Assurance in road markings

Stock effluent, London visitors discuss accessible transport

Black spot safety audits reduce crashes

This edition of In Transit highlights the Auckland Airport eastern access route which was under construction at the time (now SH20B).  The entire route cost $17m at the time and was due to finish in March 1996. The other most notable point was the benefits of black spot safety audits in reducing crashes, noting 2700 crashes had been prevented since 1985, as 61% of black spots identified had been upgraded with low cost solutions such as improved road markings, signs and lighting.

Other points in this edition are:

• Review of the winter road closure policy for state highways
• Launch of the State Highway Review (which reviewed which roads should become state highways and which should be cancelled as state highways)
• Quality Assurance in road markings
• First stock effluent disposal facilities trialled on two state highways
• Visit by British accessible transport experts
• Decision to construct slow vehicle lanes on both sides of SH29 Kaimai Ranges
• Discussion of a private proposal to build the Te Puke Bypass, upgrade Pyes Pa Road and Route J. Ultimately Te Puke Bypass would become a state highway toll roads, Pyes Pa Road became a state highway and was upgraded, and Route J funded as part of the National Roads Programme.

Connections March 1995 - Pokeno Bypass and announcement of strategy for Waikato Expressway

 

Pokeno Bypass

Pokeno Bypass

Waikato Expressway

Waikato project update

In this edition of Connections, the Hamilton regional office newsletter, the focus as in the national newsletter, is on the Pokeno Bypass, with over two pages dedicated to how the project will enable the town to be upgraded and grow.  The other key point in this issue is the strategy for a "four lane highway from Ohinewai to Cambridge" which would later be known as the Waikato Expressway (completed at the end of 2022!).  The thought at the time was to use as much existing road as possible, but that bypasses would be looked at for Ngaruawahia and Huntly.  The report noted four-laning was already underway at Tamahere between Hamilton and Cambridge, and projects south of the Bombay Hills (including the Pokeno Bypass) that extend the motorway to Mercer (because both locations were accident blackspots).  A separate strategy is being developed between Mercer and Ohinewai.  

Finally, a whole page dedicated to a long list of projects of various scale across Waikato, ranging from the three projects on SH1 between the Bombay Hills and Cambridge, along with a large number of mostly safety oriented realignment projects across the region, plus finishing the sealing of SH25 Coromandel, Fairy Springs Road 4-laning in Rotorua.  This all emphasised the focus of funding at the time on small to medium sized safety oriented projects.