In several of his Faulkner Corner columns, Councillor Bill Faulkner has mentioned how the City Council's financial juggling act will be helped by getting Route K (aka the Tauriko turn pike) off its books.
By this I assume he means that someone will buy this lemon off the Council. I am not sure who would be foolish enough to do this.
The road was built for one reason only and that was to funnel heavy traffic to the Sulphur Point Container Wharf.
There were no connections or interchanges to make this road usable by Tauranga residents, omitted from the original plan were connections between Route J, the hospital zone or Greerton.
Also omitted, was good road building practice!
We are left with a road that requires continuous maintenance.
Any new owner is looking at reconstructing with structural asphalt as has been done on the Waikareao Expressway.
Ross W Ogle, Tauranga.
Councillor Faulkner responds:
I have regularly noted in my column that NZTA (formerly Transit) will be taking this road over.
5 comments
THE REAL QUESTION IS
Posted on 18-02-2011 14:11 | By Fun in the Sun
with regards Route K, the real question should be how did the then council get the expected usage so wrong. Estimates of 10,000 reality 2000. Thats an over estimation by a factor of 5!!!. Has any one been held to account?
LEMONS V'S MELONS
Posted on 19-02-2011 10:29 | By The Master
Although I appreciate the "LEMON" reference for Route K, nice to have but bitter, unless it receives a healthy heap of sugar it stays bitter. A "MELON" seems more appropiate as it is much bigger and unless you cut it at exactly the right time it is either sour or mush, they missed the cut.
Bill forgot the important part!
Posted on 19-02-2011 15:32 | By THE RING MASTER
"if TCC can show that it is viable" Bill that means "makes money" it is not
Stargazing or navel gazing
Posted on 19-02-2011 20:29 | By Ratcatcher
CR FAULKNER hasn't got a clue whether NZTA will take over ROUTE K nor even if it did what the terms would be. In the end the only certainty is that ratepayers lose $3m plus on this albatross as interest debt is annually converted to capital debt.One thing is certain the original financial projections were garbage.
FOOLS AND HORSES
Posted on 28-02-2011 23:20 | By TERMITE
AND THEIR MONEY ARE EASILY PARTED AKA BILL & CO. THE END RESULT GOVT DON'T WANT THE DEBT BUT THAT IS REALLY WHAT BILL & CO WANT TO GET RID OF, THE DEBATE CONTINUES IN STALEMATE.
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