Bethlehem businessmen and the wider community are vowing to fight a four laning project they believe has already gone out to tender.
They say the plan for 100 metres of four lane highway directly outside the Bethlehem shops will have a huge impact on their businesses.

Bethlehem businessmen Mark Arundel and Kelvin Gregg.

Parallel parking on the north side of the road will be removed to make room for one of the new lanes and the slip lane, or aisle outside the shops, will also go.
It will mean people backing out into the road will block the left lane traffic coming away from the busy Bethlehem roundabout.
'All the traffic that comes in the morning and the people who stop to grab lunch or go to the chemist will totally lose their car parking,” says Four Square owner Kelvin Gregg.
'They stated it was just us businesses that are fighting this, but it is the wider community, 97 per cent of the residents between here and Te Puna.”
There are about 25 businesses in the stretch of road and Kelvin says over three days their customers had put 1000 signatures to a petition opposing the four laning.
'It is only going to exist for 100m then back to two lanes down the hill to the Wairoa Bridge and that is never going to be four lanes.”
The four laning opposition says the New Zealand Transport Agency has never come up with a purpose for the four laning, says Kelvin.
A claimed build up at the Bethlehem roundabout can be removed by taking out the pedestrian crossing nearby and taking the tolls off route K. That would stop the trucks using Moffat Road to enter or leave the city.
Residents using the Bethlehem roundabout will be further thinned when Beaumaris Boulevard is linked to Waihi Road.
Similar traffic problems in Hamilton were resolved by replacing roundabouts with traffic lights, says Kevin.
Mark Arundel says while they are speaking on behalf of a wider community, removing the car parks will have a critical effect on their businesses.
'Nobody in the current economy doesn't think that is a critical issue,” says Mark.