Construction to realign a section of State Highway 33 halfway between Rotorua and Paengaroa is underway.
NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) says diggers and bulldozers have already started moving material from the Pareteiro hillside to form the new road with construction currently being undertaken away from public view from SH33.
NZTA's Bay of Plenty state highways manager Brett Gliddon says this $3.6 million project will help to improve safety and reduce travel times along this section of SH33.
'The section of SH33 where the work is being undertaken is known as the ‘Sun Valley Curves' in the Pareteiro area, and is a historic crash ‘black spot'.”
Brett says the series of curves will be straightened which will benefit users of this road by improving safety, reducing travel times and will make the movement of freight to the Port of Tauranga more efficient.
Brett says a passing lane will also be installed to enable motorists travelling towards Rotorua from Paengaroa to overtake safely.
A gully will be filled from material taken from the Pareteiro hillside which will help to form the new sweeping curves replacing the existing series of tight sharp curves.
Brett says the work forms part of the NZTA's Safer Journeys strategy which adopts the world-leading Safe System approach in achieving safer roads and roadsides, safer speeds, safer vehicles and safer behaviours.
For the first several months works will be off the highway and drivers should expect only minor interruptions at times for machinery or deliveries to access the construction site.
As the project progresses, Brett says there will be some interruption to travellers along State Highway 33, the project is expected to be completed by March 2014.
'Drivers will be informed of the expected interruptions before they occur.”
In the meantime, he asks drivers to be cautious of machinery going to and from the construction site.
A regular project newsletter can be subscribed to on [email protected] , which has been put jointly together by the NZTA's and their project partner Rotorua District Council.
2 comments
Posted on 03-12-2012 13:52 | By charob
there is nothing wrong with this peice of road. its the drivers that cant drive that have accidents here. There are far worse roads that need sharp corners taken off. comon
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Posted on 04-12-2012 11:08 | By timmo
It's not the best charob, especially the off camber tightening curve over a crest (at the top of the articles picture)- This can lead to over steer if the driver hits the brakes after entering the corner. While you can argue 'a good driver wouldn't do that', a road should be forgiving. The upgrades around the gorge were a missed opportunity though- At the top of both sides is room to have a small pull off area so that trucks can let cars past after grinding up that steep grade. As it is, drivers take risks trying to get passed after waiting behind slower vehicles going 30km/h or less up there.
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