The Mangatawhiri Deviation is a two-lane undivided highway stretching from the Mangatawhiri Bridge to the Maramarua Golf Course, bypassing the Mangatawhiri village. The new alignment provides an improved, straighter section of state highway with fewer intersections.
Transit New Zealand and the NZ Transport Agency worked to protect and enhance the natural, social and physical environment around the project area.
Generally the route for the Mangatawhiri Deviation impacted on farmland, except where it was required to tie back into the existing state highway at Mangatawhiri Road, Koheroa Road, Homestead Road and adjacent to the Maramarua Golf course.
Landscaping
A landscaping scheme was developed which was sensitive to the landscaping context of the area where the Mangatwhiri Deviation was being constructed. Landscaping included grassing of all areas where earthworks had been undertaken to construct the new road. Various shelter belt planning and planting of areas along the Deviation lowered any potential visual effect of the deviation.
Noise and visual effects
During construction, there was additional noise from the operation of earthmoving equipment. However, this complied with the conditions that Transit accepted in confirming its planning designation on noise limits and working hours.
There has been little additional noise generated by the operation of this project after construction.
Stormwater
This was a key environmental issue for Transit and during construction environmental protection works were implemented across the entire site. This included the construction of about 20 sediment retention ponds and the construction of bunds (walls) around the site to prevent untreated run-off reaching waterways.
