Long term plans for a Kaimai road tunnel are being proposed by the New Zealand Transport Agency as a tunnel under the Kaimais is expected to become economically viable in the next 20 years.
'The early indication from the benefit-cost analysis shows that right now a road tunnel looks prohibitively expensive, but we're not discounting it,” says NZTA regional director Harry Wilson.

An assessment of 10 options for tunnelling the range estimated costs of up to $2 billion.
Road Transport Forum chief executive Ken Shirley says the industry has pushed hard for the early assessment of the route by NZTA already underway.
'We don't want it built if it doesn't stack up economically, but we're talking beyond 10 years before a road tunnel might be viable,” says Ken.
'While it doesn't stack up today we're thinking long term. Our members end up paying for a lot of the cost anyway through road user charges.”
Transport select committee chairman, Hamilton East MP David Bennett says the Waikato Expressway's completion is on the horizon and he wants debate on the need for an upgraded link to the Bay.
'The next step is to look at our wider growth prospects. Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga will be the growth engine of New Zealand, and these links are going to be important for industry and jobs,” says David.
'I think it's time to start moving on the Hamilton-Tauranga link. It's something we need to progress as quickly as possible. It would be a huge project and a major link between two big cities.”