MEDIA RELEASE
 
 
 
Environment Bay of Plenty welcomes National announcement on Tauranga roads
 
For immediate release: Tuesday 4 November 2008
 
Environment Bay of Plenty was pleased to hear today that Tauranga roads are on the National Party’s priority list.
 
National announced today that it would pledge $100 million for the upgrading of Tauranga’s central corridor. This area runs from 15th Avenue at the junction with Cameron Road, along Turret Road to Welcome Bay Road and includes the Welcome Bay/Maungatapu Roundabout.
 
National said the money would be spent on the widening of the existing road at 15th Avenue and Turret Road to four lanes, building an underpass below Maungatapu Roundabout and creating a new road linking into Welcome Bay Road.
 
Environment Bay of Plenty Chairman John Cronin welcomed the announcement.
 
“We are delighted that a major party is investing such a substantial sum of money in our region. However, we are also keen for the central corridor to be approached holistically. This will mean viewing it not just as a roading project but also as a project than includes priority for buses as well as better walking and cycling routes,” Chairman Cronin said.
 
Environment Bay of Plenty transport staff are keen to work collaboratively with the New Zealand Transport Agency and Tauranga City Council on the project.
 
Staff from all three organisations will be working with residents and businesses along this stretch of road to keep them informed and minimise any negative impact. 
 
Welcome Bay residents have been actively seeking transport improvements for a number of years.
 
The central corridor is one of the busiest two lane stretches of road in Tauranga and with the city’s rapidly growing population it will get busier. According to SmartGrowth, the 50-year strategy for managing growth in the western Bay, there are 54 more vehicles on the road in Tauranga and the western Bay every week. The strategy also plans for more residential development in the Welcome Bay and Ohauiti area.
 
 
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