The Tauriko West project supports economic growth, productivity and housing development, improves safety, and provides a more resilient roading network.
April 2024
This project has been identified in the draft Government Policy Statement on land transport (GPS 2024) as a Road of National Significance.
This page will be updated upon publication of the National Land Transport Plan later this year.
The Tauriko Network Plan is part of Tauriko for Tomorrow – a collaborative project driven by four key partners, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Tauranga City Council, and NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi – focussing on development in the Tauriko West area.
The vision for Tauriko West is to create a thriving community that allows people to live, learn, work, and play locally. This means creating a new community and ensuring it has access to amenities such as schooling, parks, cycle and walkways, the Wairoa River, shopping at nearby areas and transport options and infrastructure.
Tauriko for Tomorrow(external link)
The Tauriko Network Plan is part of Tauriko for Tomorrow – a collaborative project driven by four key partners, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Tauranga City Council, and NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi – focussing on development in the Tauriko West area.
The vision for Tauriko West is to create a thriving community that allows people to live, learn, work, and play locally. This means creating a new community and ensuring it has access to amenities such as schooling, parks, cycle and walkways, the Wairoa River, shopping at nearby areas and transport options and infrastructure.
The transport plan for the Western Corridor places importance on public transport solutions, walking and cycling, and local road networks for local journeys. The key objectives of the future improvements (10 plus years) are to provide choice in how people want to travel, to support a thriving and growing community, protection of the strategic freight route, safety for all users and improving resilience. Providing more travel choices and encouraging people to move differently will contribute to accessibility, safety, health and environmental outcomes.
Since we engaged with landowners, mana whenua, stakeholders and the community on the emerging preferred option in mid-2022, we have further analysed costs, risks, and benefits of the final option recommended in the Detailed Business Case. We then refined the plans for the design and implementation of the improvements, based on feedback received. Advice from safety, technical and environmental specialists is also included. In addition, assessments were undertaken to ensure the recommended option responds to the Emissions Reduction Plan released in 2022.
The preferred option, which looks at future transport upgrades to State Highway 29, State Highway 29A and State Highway 36 in the Tauriko West area, delivers on the outcomes we heard are important to the community. It supports a thriving and growing community, provides choice in how people want to travel, protects strategic freight routes to and from the Port of Tauranga, provides safety for all users, and improves resilience and environmental outcomes.
The Detailed Business Case has been endorsed by the Waka Kotahi Board in August 2023. Endorsement of the detailed business case enables funding to be sought via the National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) prioritisation process for the works.
The preferred option includes delivering the works in four stages. This will help deliver the programme in an efficient manner to maximise integration, minimise disruption, reduce re-work and cost, and ensure delivery of improvements is proportionate to the need at the time.
The preferred option includes:
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The preferred option includes delivering the works in four stages. This will help deliver the programme in an efficient manner to maximise integration, minimise disruption, reduce re-work and cost, and ensure delivery of improvements is proportionate to the need at the time.
|
Stage |
Works |
Outcomes |
Indicative timeframes |
|
Stage 1 |
Route protection via designation of the future SH29 and SH29A alignment |
Provides protection of the corridor and certainty of the corridor for future development. |
2023/24 to 2026 |
|
Stage 2 |
SH29 Ōmanawa bridge replacement and alignment improvements |
End-of-life replacement for the existing Ōmanawa River bridge and addresses current safety concerns at Ōmanawa Road and through this portion of the alignment. |
2026/27 to 2030/31 |
|
Stage 3 |
SH29A Public transport prioritisation corridor and improvements |
Improves mode choice with dedicated bus lanes and new walking and cycling facilities connecting Cameron Road to Tauriko. Relieves current network pinch points at Barkes Corner and Takitimu Drive (SH29A/SH29/SH36) roundabouts to support the freight journey to the Port of Tauranga. Provides sufficient transport capacity to complete development of planned Urban Growth Areas in the Western Corridor. |
2026/27 to 2030/31 |
|
Stage 4 |
New SH29 offline alignment and revocation of existing SH29 to local road |
Delivers a dedicated inter-regional journey and supports future growth aspirations in the Western Corridor and the wider western Bay of Plenty sub-region. |
2041/42 to 2049/50
|
The preferred option will integrate with the Tauriko Enabling Works, retaining the upgraded intersections with traffic signals to be constructed at Cambridge Road and Tauriko Village, and the roundabout at Redwood Lane (as part of the new Redwood Lane interchange).
CloseThe main purpose of the Detailed Business Case is to provide assurance that the recommended option is the right one to deliver the desired outcomes and is an effective solution to the identified problems. It is aimed at building an agreed scope for the project, and understanding the risks, uncertainties and the benefits associated with the investment, so that a final decision can be made on whether to implement it.
The Board endorsement of the detailed business case enables funding to be sought via the National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) prioritisation process for the works. Funding for the first three phases of this project will be sought in the 2024-2027 NLTP, with outcomes of this process expected in mid-2024.
National Land Transport Programme
The DBC sets the strategic direction to how we connect and improve the Western Corridor over the next 30+ years. Delivery will be staged over a number of years once funding is approved and aligned to growth triggers including housing supply, transport mode share, traffic volumes, and funding availability.
CloseAlongside the long-term planning for the transport network, Tauranga City Council and NZTA have identified a package of initial improvements.These upgrades, called the Tauriko Enabling Works, will improve safety at SH29/Cambridge Road and SH29/Redwood Lane intersections, enable development within Tauriko West, support continued development of Tauriko Business Estate, protect freight routes to the Port of Tauranga and improve access to public transport, walking and cycling.
The programme for construction of the Tauriko Enabling Works is being developed with the goal to move into the construction phase in the next six to nine months (subject to consultation with landowners whose property or access may be affected by the works, consenting requirements and land acquisition).
SH29 is the key route connecting our region with Auckland, Waikato, and the Upper North Island. This route supports the economic success of the western Bay of Plenty. It is vital that growth and liveability, and safety and productivity go hand in hand.
The Connected Centres programme outlines how vital a multimodal transport system is to ensure existing and future communities are connected by frequent public transport services along prioritised public transport corridors.
Connected Centres programme(external link)
Enabling more people to move via public transport will improve freight access. Providing access to a network of safe and accessible cycling, walking and personal mobility routes supports connectivity to local shops, schools, and other services, as well as accessing neighbouring communities. The other benefit is a range of transport choices and the opportunity for people to live close to work. This will help reduce transport carbon emissions over time.
The Tauriko Network Programme Business Case completed in 2017 considers the whole Western Corridor.
Tauriko Network Programme Business Case [PDF, 5.4 MB]
The Detailed Business Case considers the most critical section within the programme business case, and where to invest in first.
