Te Ara Tūtohu: Waitara to Bell Block

17 September 2024

Kia ora,

Through Te Ara Tūtohu: SH3 Waitara to Bell Block project we are committed to delivering improvements to State Highway 3 (SH3) between Waitara and Bell Block that improve safety and cater for expected population growth in the region.

We are taking a programme-wide look at all our projects to ensure they’re aligned with government priorities and are being delivered as efficiently as possible. Since the budget for this project was allocated in 2021, construction costs have also increased industry wide.

We are committed to increasing value for money of the public funds invested into our work.

As a result, we are making changes to the remainder of the planned improvements to ensure they achieve good value for money and are aligned with the Government Policy Statement on land transport 2024.

Quality safety improvements will still be achieved on this section of SH3 that benefit the local community and other road users.

Waitara Road intersection improvements

To support the safe operation of the future roundabout at the intersection of SH3 and Waitara Road we are making safety improvements to the intersection of Tate Road and Raleigh Street.

Without safety improvements to this intersection, the intersection would be unsafe with the increase in traffic along Tate Road from the roundabout.

The new design for safety improvements at the intersection includes:

• Turning the section of Raleigh Street between SH3 and Tate Road into a cul-de-sac, with access in and out via SH3.
   
• Creating a T-intersection at the intersection of Raleigh Street and Tate Road with minor changes to the alignment of the road. At the intersection of Raleigh Street and Tate Road, traffic heading south on Tate Road will give way.There will be no access to the section of Raleigh Street between Tate Road and SH3 from Tate Road.
   
• No longer treating stormwater run-off from private properties adjacent to the intersection. All water run-off from the intersection itself will be fully treated. This will ensure an improvement in the quality of water that flows from the highway into local waterways.

Alongside the changes to the design, we are also looking to get better value for money elsewhere, such as with temporary traffic management, without compromising road worker or user safety.

Updated design for improvements.

SH3A and De Havilland Drive intersection improvements

We are currently working through changes to the designs for improvements at SH3A and De Havilland Drive. We remain committed to delivering both roundabouts to improve the safety and efficiency of the corridor.

It has been determined that to construct the roundabout at the SH3/SH3A intersection further funding may be needed. Work to complete investigations and the design for the roundabout, as well as gain consents, is continuing.

We will provide an update on the design and construction timeframes for both the SH3A and De Havilland Drive intersection improvements once they are confirmed.

More information

If you have questions about these changes, please get in touch with us by emailing w2bb@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/w2bb