Not only will TCC ratepayers be wasting at least $100 million and counting, which will result in an almost certain 50% rate rise ($1,000 per annum) but a June 2007 Traffic Impact study (three years old) spoke of:
- Possible 28 minute delays at peak times.
- Traffic queues up to 5km long
- Traffic disruption for up to four years, putting additional pressure on alternative routes.
- Suggested road closures for up to 30 days. Fraser Street diversion via Oxford Street and Kesteven Avenue, Merivale.
- 20,898 heave truck movements removing soil and replacing with metal.
It appeared obvious in 2007, and is patently more obvious now, that there will be major disruptions at Maleme and Oropi Roads; Oropi and Chadwick Roads; Merivale and Fraser Cove shopping centre; 18th Avenue and Fraser St, Devonport Road and 15th Ave, Boys' College, Central Med, Devonport Road and 11th Ave and just imagine what will happen in downtown Devonport Road, Tauranga City!
Tauranga can't afford nor does it deserve to be lumbered with this overpriced, inflated, no-brainer project, nor the horrific motorway disruption for several years. You have to ask what drives the predilection of the current Council is to spend, spend, spend on the pipeline! What on earth is the agenda?
It looks like a death wish and perhaps the way to change the mindset is through the ballot box in October so that a Tauriko stand-alone wastewater plant can be properly evaluated and checked out.
R Paterson, Matapihi.