The reason central government funding is readily available for the Welcome Bay underpass, but is less forthcoming for the Turret Road phase of the same project was explained to Tauranga City Councillors this week.

In a half hour delivery New Zealand Transport Agency regional director Harry Wilson and the agency's BOP roading manager Brett Gliddon explained the agency's funding, governance and how it impacts the district's roads.

Photo: File.

National economy growth and productivity were identified as the key drivers behind the allocation of funds to roading projects, with roads more likely to benefit the national economy receiving government funding as opposed to ones that may enhance the regional economy.

The Welcome Bay underpass is a priority project to NZTA as it aids the national economy by removing suburban traffic from State Highway 29 – a strategic link to the Port of Tauranga

Four-laning Turret Road to 15th Avenue and building a bridge does not have such a big impact on the national economy and is therefore not a priority.

It's an issue councillor Bill Grainger tried to get clarification on at question time, reminding Harry of the government's 2008 $100million election promise to build the underpass and the four-laning.

Harry reminded Bill of Transport Minister's Steven Joyce's subsequent comment that Tauranga had already got enough.

Steven Joyce may have been referring to government spending on the second harbour bridge, the Hewletts Road flyover, and the Tauranga Eastern Link.

Bill also received short shrift when he asked why the TEL was going ahead when the northern arterial route carried more traffic. He was told the northern route is a regional connector and carries nowhere near the traffic that SH29 does.

The SH29 underpass is on track. The design and consenting phase is expected to take 12-18 months and construction is on track for 2014/15.

The regional roading project with the highest priority, the Bayfair roundabout, is also on track for construction in 2014/15. It is planned to be completed before the Tauranga Eastern Link.

The agency is currently at the design and investigation stage for that project says Brett, and has come to the conclusion the Bayfair can't be fixed without also sorting out the Te Maunga roundabout.

'Fixing Girven Road doesn't fix the problem,” says Brett.

'Whatever we do at one, we will have to do something at the other.”

The options are traffic signals at both roundabouts as a medium term solution, and grade separation; an overpass or flyover for the long term.

The agency expects to present the public with the preferred option early in the New Year, which will be followed by the design consenting process. Construction is on track for 2015/16.