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Tauriko WestProject update |
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8 December 2025 |
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Tēnā koe and welcome to the State Highway 29 (SH29)/State Highway 29A (SH29A) Tauriko West Road of National Significance (RoNS) project update. In this edition, you can read about:
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Site investigations are underway in Tauriko West. Investigations underway at Tauriko WestWe’ve started a series of assessments and site investigations to inform our designation and consents applications, as well as the planning and design for the SH29/SH29A Tauriko West RoNS upgrades. These investigations include testing soil and ground strength, surveying vegetation, streams and checking out wildlife. Our survey team has been busy collecting important information on streams and structures such as culverts and bridges. These details are critical for stormwater modelling, particularly in the Kopurererua Valley, and will help us understand how the project may affect future water management. Over summer, a wide range of additional investigations will take place across both private and public land along SH29 and SH29A. These include geotechnical, ecological, landscape, noise, and archaeological assessments, all of which are essential to inform the project’s design and the upcoming consenting process |
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More than 170 residents, business owners and community members attended the information day. Thank you for meeting with us
Thank you to everyone who attended the Tauriko West Community Information Day on Saturday 8 November at Tauriko School. It was great to see over 170 residents, business owners, and community members take the time to learn more about the projects shaping the future of Tauriko West.
Many of you told us you appreciated the chance to speak directly with project teams and gain clarity on timelines and next steps. We also heard interest in how these projects will improve safety, support growth, and create a more resilient transport network. Construction is already underway at several sites, and work on the new Ōmanawa Bridge, the first phase of the Tauriko West RoNS project, has begun. These improvements are important steps toward building a safer and more connected future for the region. If you were unable to attend or would like more information, you can find the information shared here. Thank you again for your interest and engagement. We look forward to continuing the conversation and working together to shape the future of Tauriko West. |
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The new site access road with its turning bay for large vehicles runs from Ōmanawa Road (to the left) to the first 2 sediment retention ponds. Around the perimeter, black silt fences have been installed to protect the Ōmanawa and Wairoa rivers from sediment and stormwater runoff. Ōmanawa Bridge works underwayOur Ōmanawa Bridge team has been hard at work laying the groundwork for the job ahead, and while not immediately obvious to people driving past the site, there’s been plenty done. One of the first jobs for our construction contractor HEB was to drill boreholes and take soil samples to confirm how deep the bridge piles will need to be – you can read more about that in the next story. Elsewhere the HEB team has been busy preparing the necessary paperwork and management plans to enable works to start, such as vegetation clearance, moving telecommunication and power services away from future construction areas, and building stormwater retention ponds and other environmental controls to protect the Ōmanawa and Wairoa awa (river). These enabling works help clear the way, allowing the team to move at pace into 2026. The big job of building an access road across the site for the heavy equipment needed for building the bridge is also underway. The main site access from Ōmanawa Road is already in use with a large turning bay built to keep site traffic clear of passing traffic. |
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Borehole drilling underway to confirm the pile depth for the new bridge. Bridge building starts undergroundWhen it comes to building bridges, it’s the stuff that’s out of sight that does the heavy lifting. Bridge piles are the deep underground columns carrying the load of the bridge deck, and the vehicles using it. They do this by transferring the weight of the bridge through weaker soils near the surface down to stronger material below. This ensures the bridge remains stable even if the ground near the surface becomes soft or moves during heavy rain or earthquakes. One of the first jobs our team did on site was to drill boreholes to take soil and rock samples. This helps to understand what’s beneath the surface and how strong or soft each layer is – an important step before construction can begin. That information confirms how deep and wide the piles need to be to reach strong, stable ground. Once that is known, steel casings – round metal tubes in which the piles will be built - can be ordered. In this case they will be 1.2 metres in diameter and 45-50 metres long. Ōmanawa Bridge will be supported by 3 sets of 4 piles – 2 sets on the Ōmanawa side of the river and one set on the Tauranga side. The casings for these are now being fabricated by a specialist manufacturer in China to meet New Zealand design and quality standards. Once they arrive in New Zealand in early 2026, the big job of installing them will begin. Each casing will be driven into the ground using a heavy weight suspended from a large crane. They are then filled with reinforcing metal and concrete to form a solid, permanent foundation. |
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Keeping up to date on our Ōmanawa Bridge replacement projectWith construction at Ōmanawa Bridge ramping up, our team is keen to ensure anyone who may be impacted by their activities, or is interested in the bridge construction, is kept up to date. We will send regular updates by email. If you’d like to receive these additional updates about the Ōmanawa Bridge replacement project, as well as this newsletter, please email us at BoPProjects@nzta.govt.nz. |
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Kaweroa Drive now connects to the new SH29/Redwood Lane roundabout. Tauriko Enabling Works connecting TaurikoWe’ve opened a new connection in Tauriko, with the completion of the fourth and final leg of the SH29 Redwood Lane roundabout. The roundabout, part of the SH29 Tauriko Enabling Works project, opened to traffic in May this year while work continued on the Kaweroa Drive connection. That work is complete, and the connection officially opened to traffic on Saturday 15 November. Check out this video of Tauranga City Mayor Mahé Drysdale and Tauriko Ward Councillor Marten Rozeboom on site when it opened. The new Kaweroa Drive link makes it easier for industrial and commercial traffic to reach businesses within the estate, while helping to spread traffic more evenly between SH29 and State Highway 36 (SH36). It also includes new pedestrian signals to improve safety for people walking and cycling in the area. The roundabout remains in its temporary layout for the remainder of the year, with one lane in each direction on SH29 and a reduced speed limit of 50km/h. This allows work to continue on the additional SH29 lanes, opening the pedestrian and cyclist underpass, and finishing the landscaping. Once completed, the roundabout will have 2 lanes in each direction on SH29. All work in the Redwood Lane section is on track to be completed by early 2026. Further east work is continuing on Cambridge Road in preparation for a new signalised intersection with SH29. We’ve built a 210m-long concrete retaining wall, and the next step is removing the temporary sheet piles. To do this safely, the northbound lane on Cambridge Road, from the SH29 intersection to 579 Cambridge Road, will be closed from Saturday 3 January until early February. Bethlehem-bound traffic will need to detour via SH29 Takitimu Drive Toll Road or SH29A and Cameron Road. The southbound lane will stay open. We’ve timed this work for the school holidays when traffic is lighter and will maximise the lane closure by carrying out a number of other project tasks, including relocating underground services, earthworks, installing utilities and road construction and resurfacing. To complete this work as quickly as possible, work will occur 7 days a week, with some extended shifts (7am to 12am) and night works (6pm to 5am). We appreciate road users and residents’ patience while we complete this important work. The upgraded SH29/Cambridge Road intersection will be safer and more efficient, with a new link to Whiore Avenue for buses and for people walking and cycling to the Tauriko Business Estate. |
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SH29 Ruahihi Bluffs near the Ruahihi Power Station. Scaling works at Ruahihi BluffsSH29 Kaimai Range will close for 5 nights, from Sunday 7 December, between 8pm and 3.30am each night (reopening early Friday morning). These closures are necessary to complete urgent scaling works on the Ruahihi Bluffs near the Ruahihi Power Station. This work will involve abseilers working above the road to dislodge vegetation and rocks from the top and faces of the bluffs. We’re taking full advantage of the closures to undertake other work at multiple sites along the state highway. This includes structural asphalt rehabilitation, chipseal resurfacing, localised drainage works, road marking and surface repairs at numerous sites along the highway. The closure points on the western (Waikato) side are at the SH29/24 and SH29/28 intersections and on the eastern (Tauranga) side at the SH29/Cambridge Road intersection. Emergency services will have access at all times. Residents will also be able to access their property from the relevant side of the closure. However, within the closure the state highway will be fully closed at Ruahihi and a number of other sites. These sites will open on the hour every hour each night to allow residents through. Alternative routes:
The programmed works at Ruahihi will require 5 nights to complete. If this work is unable to proceed for any of these nights due to wet weather, additional night closures will be needed and will be publicised as early as possible so road users can plan ahead. |
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SH29 Kaimai Range road rebuild. Paving the way for smoother days on SH29SH29 from Tauriko to the summit of the Kaimai Range is a key corridor and we’re focused on strengthening it this summer, so it remains safe and reliable and meets the needs of everyone who uses it. A significant rebuild is currently underway of around 1.5 kilometres of SH29 near Valley View Road. Once the work is finished, drivers can look forward to a safer, smoother drive along this stretch of state highway. Over the next few months, asphalt resurfacing night works will also be taking place at the following SH29 Lower Kaimai locations:
Further asphalt works are scheduled for February next year, focusing on the passing lanes near Valley View Road. During all work, traffic management will be in place, and reduced speed limits will apply. For more information on the latest maintenance work visit our website and sign up to the e-newsletter. |
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Takitimu North Link Stage 1, SH29/Takitimu Drive Toll Road interchange late-November before the lane shift for traffic on Tuesday 2 December. Lane switch at SH29 Takitimu Drive Toll RoadConstruction continues on a major interchange at SH29/Takitimu Drive Toll Road (TDTR), between Tauriko and Tauranga city centre, as part of Stage 1 of the Takitimu North Link project. Following a road closure on Tuesday 2 December, both lanes of traffic have been shifted to the east side of the highway on new alignments. Crews can now finish the southern end pavements, including the ramps on and off the new flyover bridge in preparation for the bridge opening to traffic in mid-2026. The SH29/TDTR interchange design features a 363 metre flyover bridge to the west of the existing highway, spanning part of the Kopurererua Valley Reserve – one of Australasia’s largest urban wetlands. A roundabout will provide entry onto the new highway, while a slip lane on the eastern side will keep traffic flowing from Tauranga CBD towards Tauriko. |
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Existing SH2 above Te Puna Quarry Road, facing east towards Te Puna. Takitimu North Link Stage 2 project updateWe’ve been steadily advancing the Takitimu North Link Stage 2 project (Te Puna to Ōmokoroa) throughout 2025, and we’re now into the pre-implementation phase. Applications for statutory approvals were lodged under the Fast-track Approvals Act in August 2025, marking a significant step forward. Consenting is an important milestone, setting out the footprint of the project. An expert panel is assessing the application, and a decision is expected early 2026. There is a considerable amount of land required and we are prioritising our discussions with property owners through this complex and sensitive process. In September 2025 contracts were awarded for design of the new road. We continue to work with local authorities including Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and local hapū Pirirākau and Ngāti Taka as this develops. We’re also carrying out ground investigations at key sites near Snodgrass, Ainsworth, Te Puna Quarry and Munro roads, and around Oturu and Te Puna streams. These include geotechnical testing, topographical surveys and soil contamination checks, and will continue through to December. This work helps inform the road’s design and planning.
November project update Takitimu North Link Stage 2 |
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In brief
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More information |
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Read more and sign up for updates about the project at: Website - paetukutuku nzta.govt.nz/tauriko-west Email - īmēra bopprojects@nzta.govt.nz |
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