Environment Court in Wellington.

Appeals lodged to resource consents

The appeals periods have closed for the Mt Messenger Bypass Project’s RMA consents and the Notice of Requirement (NOR) with six appeals filed by four parties at the Environment Court.

This follows the decision in December 2018 by Independent Hearing Commissioner Stephen Daysh granting the Mt Messenger Bypass Project its resource consents and recommendation to the NZ Transport Agency that the Notice of Requirement (NOR) be confirmed.

A judicial conference with all the parties was held by the Environment Court judge on 6 March in New Plymouth, to prepare for the hearing, which is scheduled to occur in July this year. As part of the Environment Court process, mediation will occur with the Transport Agency and the appellants to seek resolution, where possible, on areas of difference.

A local waterfall provides a guide to the style being used in the design.

Connecting streams for fish passage

Replicating natural stream systems with waterfalls in the proposed Mt Messenger Bypass route will allow native climbing fish to continue their journeys up to the top of the water catchment areas.

Mt Messenger Alliance Design Manager Bruce Symmans explains that the bypass route raises the valley floors and streams in some sections. Our designers were challenged to keep the stream systems connected while enabling native fish, such as the banded kōkopu and other climbing species, to continue safely migrating upstream.

“If we just use pipes under the new road to divert and reconnect streams, the pipes would have to run at steep angles. This would prevent fish travelling upstream as they need to do to complete their lifecycles.

“To enable fish passage, the design reproduces the form of basic mountainous streams. There are flat sections of pipes with gravel to recreate a natural stream bed, followed in several places by waterfalls.

“In addition to providing fish passage, the design importantly retains the mauri, the life force, of the project area’s stream systems,” he says.

The waterfall faces will have a natural surface (cut into the papa rock) and range from very steep to near vertical – the drop height varies up to seven metres.

Pools created at the base of the waterfalls will slow down the speed of the water flow to levels that allow fish to swim upstream. During low stream flow the fish can still migrate by crawling up the moistened surface at the edge of the flow.

Water falling into pools also helps to reintroduce oxygen back into the water, which is important for sustaining aquatic life.

Mt Messenger Bypass ecological investigations progressing

Over the summer the Mt Messenger Alliance has been advancing some key ecological investigations in the project footprint, in parallel with the consenting process.

Alliance Manager Hugh Milliken says expert teams have been monitoring bats, surveying kiwi and documenting freshwater ecology.

“We are committed to reducing the project’s potential environmental impacts. These investigations are essential for doing that, and the summer period provides the ideal time for many species.”

The long-tailed bat monitoring programme has been completed.

“We caught and tracked the bats and identified roosts to help us confirm the suitability of the proposed pest management area as a habitat for this critically endangered species.” says Hugh.

The project has started periodic surveying of North Island brown kiwi in the project footprint. The species is vulnerable due to predators and loss of habitat. The work involves using specially trained dogs and handlers, known as dog-handler teams, to locate kiwi and fit them with tracking devices. It is important to identify the kiwi territories so they can be relocated, if required, when vegetation clearance starts.

In November and early March there were baseline surveys of fish and macroinvertebrates in the Mimi and Mangapepeke streams. Macroinvertebrates include insects such as dragonflies, beetles, and lacewings and other organisms like snails. The information will be used to compare with results of monitoring done during and after the construction phase so that any potential adverse effects can be quickly identified, and action taken to avoid or mitigate them.

A detailed vegetation survey is also planned this month to identify habitat qualities. This information will be used to prepare the ecological constraints maps, which are important for planning the vegetation clearance activities.

An electronic curve warning sign installed on the southbound approach to Hannah’s Curve last year.

Construction of new passing lane underway

With initial safety works between Awakino and Mt Messenger now complete, the more extensive safety and resilience improvements are now underway.

This package of work includes new passing lanes at Ladies Mile and Rapanui, a slow vehicle bay at Mokau, widening of the Clifton Road intersection at Tongaporutu Village and some slope stability work in the Awakino Gorge.

Project Manager Campbell McKegg says that work on the southbound Ladies Mile passing lane started this month and is expected to be complete mid-2020.

“There’ll be a break in construction over the winter, but work will recommence in Spring. We’re currently working through consents and design for the northbound passing lane at Rapanui with a view to start construction next summer.

“These new passing lanes, along with the slow vehicle bay we’ll build at Mokau in 2020 will help keep things moving on the route, reducing driver frustration,” says Mr McKegg.

Safety improvements completed last year included roadside safety barrier in high-risk areas, rumble strips, electronic curve warning signs, new formalised pull over areas and a new slow vehicle bay at Awakau Road.

An artist’s impression of the bypass, looking north, showing a walking track going under the bridge leading to the old road tunnel.

Old tunnel included in new plans

Work will start on the Awakino Tunnel bypass later this year.

The 2.3km bypass will take traffic away from the single-lane Awakino Tunnel, built in the 1920s. The new route will include two bridges over the Awakino River, a north-bound passing lane, landscaped rest area and a walkway to the tunnel.

NZ Transport Agency Acting Director Regional Relationships (Central North Island) Ross I’Anson says this is an exciting time as “we continue to make safety, resilience and route availability improvements on State Highway 3 from Awakino Gorge to Mt Messenger”.

“The walking track which has been included in the final design is a fantastic feature as it allows people access to the old tunnel and to explore the historical area.

“Safety improvements and efficiency gains will benefit the 2,300 vehicles which travel this road, of which 20 per cent are heavy vehicle.

Construction is planned to start in October 2019, following the Transport Agency awarding the Design and Construct contract to Fulton Hogan. The overall cost of the project is estimated to be $37.5 million.

The project is scheduled for completion in May 2021.

“Because most of the work is away from the existing highway, the project will not cause ongoing travel time delays.”

Ross says pre-start and geotechnical works are under way at the site.

The bypass involves two bridges over the Awakino River and a north-bound passing lane.

Download a larger image of the above Awakino realignment map [PDF, 3.2 MB]

More information

For more information on the Awakino Gorge to Mt Messenger Programme, contact us at SH3@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/a2mm