The State Highway 2 realignment project in Taneatua is now complete.

The works to realign a section of State Highway 2 (SH2) near Taneatua Road started in November last year and involved removing the Taneatua Rail Over Bridge, upgrading a temporary road (that had been in used since early last year) around the Taneatua Rail Over Bridge and upgrading the SH2 and Taneatua Road intersection.

Works on SH2 in Taneatua are now complete. File photo.

The SH2 and Taneatua Road intersection was realigned around the Taneatua Squash courts and the intersection was widened to improve safety at this location by providing greater site distances for drivers.
NZ Transport Agency highways manager Brett Gliddon says improving safety and the movement of heavy vehicles along this section of road are some of the benefits this project will offer to the local community and the wider Eastern Bay of Plenty region.

'SH2 is an important local connecting road between Taneatua, Whakatane, Opotiki and the central Bay of Plenty, and it is also a key freight route to ports and markets.
”This new section of road will help to maintain route security as the old rail over bridge was no longer suitable for vehicles to use.”

The completion was marked with a morning tea in Taneatua this morning attended by Whakatane District Council Mayor Tony Bonne, Taneatua Ward Councillor Andrew Iles and local iwi elders from Tuhoe.