Bay residents are receiving mail-outs in the post asking them to consider options to improve the railway line and problematic traffic congestion near the Bayfair roundabout.

The Bayfair roundabout.

The options are being proposed by the New Zealand Transport Agency which is sending the mail-outs ahead of the proposed $100million design and construction period expected to begin in 2015/16.

Options for the ‘SH2 Maunganui Girven intersection improvements' project include possible changes such as re-routing the adjacent railway line behind Owens Place, constructing elevated flyovers at the Maunganui Road and Te Maunga roundabouts and extending Owens Place to Truman Lane.

The four options identified for further investigation follow an open day last April which looked into the project. Each is being assessed for their effect on traffic flow, safety and any design and environmental constraints.

Te Puke resident Val Carter, who owns a house in Bayfair, questions why nearly every option consists of re-aligning the railway line when she believes a more cost effective option can be tabled.

After receiving the modified options and driving past the intersection numerous times, Val says the NZTA should simply consider lowering the railway line rather than re-aligning it.

'The leaflet talks of re-aligning the railway line, buying some houses and some land and going behind the shops. What a hassle and expense when lowering the railway line 6-10 feet would sort it all out,” says Val.

'Why, in this age of technology has no engineer come up with the idea of lowering the railway line from Te Maunga and coming up past the golf course?”

NZTA Waikato Bay of Plenty regional communications senior advisor Glenda Dobbyn says the project, currently the number one 2014 project for national funding, looks to maximise the efficiency of the Tauranga Eastern Link in the near future.

'The TEL will be completed sometime next year so obviously we will get the benefits of having that four lane road and the reduced travel time from that,” says Glenda.

'Both the Te Maunga and Maunganui Girven roundabouts which are two that we will look at working on together at the same time, those two will have an impact on those travel time savings.”

According to NZTA, at peak times the Maunganui Girven intersection creates a 'choke point” causing delays on SH2. It also impacts the traffic flow at Te Maunga roundabout.

NZTA believe congestion will only get worse with forecasted traffic volumes expected to grow from 36,000 to nearly 60,000 in 20 years.

Between 2007 and 2012 there were 29 crashes - three resulted in fatalities and five with serious injuries in the area.

'We need to look at congestion currently; also the railway tracks and the proximity to the intersection and the safety around that. So it's community feedback around improving safety and congestion.

'These options aren't final; they are just consultation in a sense.”

Three potential options have been identified for further investigation into the project. A fourth option was introduced following initial public feedback.

Glenda expects an announcement to be made by the project team early this year.

For more information on the full project and current options read more here.