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SunLive / Local News / Motoring / Archive / July 10

Link will reduce SH2 crashes

Lyle McMahon lyle@thesun.co.nz

30 Jul 2010

Western Bay of Plenty police are praising the early construction start time of the Tauranga Eastern Link, saying it will reduce the number of road crashes along the notorious stretch of State Highway 2.
Transport Minister Steven Joyce announced in Tauranga on Thursday that tolling would be implemented on the 23km highway, which runs from Te Maunga to Paengaroa.

The KiwiRAP rating system ranked the existing stretch of SH2 between Te Maunga and Paengaroa - the second most dangerous in New Zealand.
A number of major road smashes have occurred along the highway this year, including a crash that hospitalised six people travelling in one vehicle and left an 11 year old girl fighting for her life.
Western Bay road policing manager, senior sergeant Ian Campion, says the new highway will reduce the number of crashes on SH2.
"If it (the new highway) receives a high percentage of the through traffic, I would expect there to be some reduction in crash and trauma levels."

"Once TEL has been completed, State Highway 2 will still carry a significant amount of traffic. The expectation that it might solve all the problems is too high."
The New Zealand Transport Agency says if tolling was not introduced, construction on the highway may not have started for another 10 years.
Projected time savings between Te Maunga and Paengaroa is 12 minutes each way.
Ian says it is his hope that people will use the new highway instead of the old SH2 route.

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Comment by PIED PIPER - added on 31 Jul 2010 08:14PM
CALL IN THE POLICE OR POLITICIANS
HERE IS THE LIVING PROOF IF WANT AN IRRELEVANT UNSUBSTANTIATED INANE COMMENT ON SOME PIECE OF TRIVIA SIMPLY INTERVIEW THE TRAFFIC POLICE A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT OR A LOCAL BODY POLITICIAN - THEY HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON WHICH IS THEY ARE INVARIABLY ALWAYS WRONG

Comment by cak - added on 30 Jul 2010 06:50PM
I support
I am happy for TAX PAYERS MONEY TO BE SPENT ON THIS PROJECT, after all thats what its for. About time it was spent somewhere other than on Auckland roads. My household pay income tax, Council rates and road tax, we all live in Paengaroa and travel to Mt Maunganui most days. Also with the toll it will mean the drivers who travel it will eventually pay for the highway or some of it at least. I am in full support of this new highway. I have seen to many accidents along the road from Paengaroa to Mt Maunganui, If this highway can save even just one life it is worth all the millions spent on it.

Comment by claypole - added on 30 Jul 2010 01:32PM
Safer....... TUI!
One reason given by the proposers was that this link would be safer. The industries that use trucks for movement of goods have let it be known that they will be able to make extra trips as the link cuts 12 mins off single trips. All fine until they get to the bottle neck at the stadium and bayfair roundabouts, then its open season. Will we see an increase in cyclists joe public etc killed by logging trucks due to increased truck movements? If we want to make the roads safer with less truck movement, why not double up the rail tracks and increase rail movement, how many truck loads can a single train trip move?? Whose interests are we serving in using public money to buy up land and build this link??

Comment by ROCCO - added on 30 Jul 2010 12:17PM
TAURANGA EASTERN MOTORWAY FANTASY LAND
The following summarises the points made in the more pertinent and genuine submissions as to why the Eastern Arterial Link proposal should not proceed at this time. The two most telling factors are that first, it is accepted and admitted that this project is not of National significance or importance and ranks very low on the priority list. The only reason to accelerate it is tolling. The second is the fact that it is not providing anything handy to the Port with industrial development or industrial access. This comes from the Tauriko area which is already being developed industrial-wise which accesses Hamilton and does not need any new routes. Any money would be better spent on the Tauranga to Hamilton highway. It currently looks like someone is pandering to private developers with land at Paengaroa in an area designated Rangiuru Business Park. Perhaps it should be spelt out who these outfits are. The under-utilised Route K from Tauriko, plus Takitimu Drive and the new Bridge all lead directly to the Tauranga Port, unlike the Eastern Arterial Link which goes only part way to Papamoa which is still 20km. from the Tauranga Port, then has to compete with all S.H.2 traffic and the local residents vehicles as well. In short, the prospect of a traffic nightmare! Honestly, it’s a no-brainer! Save NZ taxpayers’ money in a recession and defer the Papamoa to Paengaroa Link until the necessity arises, which is at least 10 years away. If a Te Puke and Waitangi by-pass is an issue, then put in place a short by-pass costing say $10 – 20 million which is fine and will do the job admirably. To me, it was quite clear at the outset that the decision/recommendations of the consultation report would be a predetermined done deal and this has proved to be the case unfortunately. Why on earth TCC, particularly Mayor Crosby, was vigorously supporting this thing is a complete mystery. At the risk of being repetitive, can I just reiterate that this project at around $455 million dollars has no national significance; it does not rank on the priority list and in the current economic climate is a complete misuse of taxpayers’ funds. Apart from the upgrade on the Te Maunga / Papamoa stretch of road, the best course of action is to do nothing at the present time. The Government, NZTA and TCC want their heads examined.

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