Whangarei to Te Hana re-evaluation update

4 October 2018

We are writing to update you on the work underway to re-evaluate the Whangarei to Te Hana project to align it with the new priorities set out in the Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS).

This follows on from the letter we sent you in July.

The vision of the new Government is for a safer transport network free of death and injury, accessible and affordable transport, value for money and reduced emissions. It is important that future plans for transport, including state highway corridors such as SH1 between Whangarei and Te Hana, now align to this vision as set out in the GPS.

The Transport Agency announced the 2018-21 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) on 31 August which reflects the Government’s new vision. The NLTP is the programme of investment in land transport for the next three years.

The re-evaluation work for Whangarei to Te Hana could not be completed by the time the NLTP was announced. This does not mean this project is not included in the NLTP but rather the recommendations from the re-evaluation process will be considered for inclusion as soon as practicable after this work is complete.

The Transport Agency has made good progress on the re-evaluation work for Whangarei to Te Hana and is expecting to finalise this by the end of October. This means we expect to be able to update you shortly after that about the future plans for this stretch of State Highway 1 and what this means for your community.

Once this work has been completed, the project may proceed as currently planned, be staged differently or a different option may be selected.
We recognise the frustration that uncertainty and delays can cause and we want to assure you we are committed to providing certainty as quickly as we can, while also carrying out this work in a robust way so we get the best outcomes for future communities. We appreciate your patience while we do this.

We will update you again as soon as we have more information.

Kind regards,
Whangarei to Te Hana Project Team

More information

For more information on the Whāngārei to Te Hana project, contact us at W2TH@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/w2th