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Kia ora and welcome to the latest newsletter on Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway, the proposed new route to connect the Manawatū, Tararua District, Hawke’s Bay and northern Wairarapa, replacing the closed State Highway 3 Manawatū Gorge route.

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Project team members inspect the site of a large box culvert to be constructed in the midpoint of the 11.5km highway.

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Activity increases as start line draws closer

We are now less than a month from the start of the first construction activity for Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway.

In early August, the project Alliance – comprising Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, Fulton Hogan, HEB Construction, Aurecon and WSP – will break ground for its 1,500m2 project office at Ashhurst, at the west end of the new 11.5km highway.

The office will have capacity for 100 team members on its opening in early November, by which time enabling works for the four-lane road will have begun (subject to consent approvals).

The important enabling works include the creation of access tracks to allow transport of materials and workers to site. During this stage of the project, we'll also deliver safety improvements to intersections on Saddle Road, ensuring that construction traffic can operate effectively without any detriment to the safety of road users.

Meanwhile, a thorough programme of ground investigations is due for completion next month, having secured sample material from boreholes and test pits across the alignment to reliably inform the highway's design and construction methodology.

On track 
The project remains on track to commence main construction of the highway in January 2021.

In the first construction season, we’ll make a start on the six and a half million cubic metres of earthworks required over the duration of the project. This will include creating embankments of up to 30 metres in height and digging cuts up to 60m deep.

In this opening phase we’ll also begin building four of the project’s bridges – the largest being Bridge 2 over the Manawatū River and Bridge 3 over sensitive wetland. Both bridges span more than 300 metres.

The first construction season will also include work on sediment and erosion control, and creating access tracks in the wind farm area.

Note: All timeframes are subject to a number of factors including consenting approvals and weather during construction seasons.

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Consenting update

Enabling works
We are in the process of obtaining resource consents for the project's enabling works.

These cover activities such as water take from the Manawatū River, the creation of reservoirs for water storage, access tracks from Saddle, Cook and Hope roads, and cabling relocation at Te Āpiti Wind Farm.

We hope to begin enabling works in October this year.

Main works
Mediation and expert conferencing is now underway around matters raised by individuals and organisations who have made submissions to our consent applications for the project's main construction works. 

The Environment Court will decide on these applications following a hearing commencing 24 August.

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Design of main bridge progressing well

Featured below is the latest render of the largest of the new highway's seven bridges. Crossing the Manawatū River and spanning more than 300 metres, 'Bridge 2' - as it is currently known - is expected to take 44 months to complete.

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Project team welcomes Transport Minister

Transport Minister Phil Twyford (second from left) dropped into our offices yesterday for a project update from Owner Interface Manager Lonnie Dalzell (far right). Joining the meeting were Palmerston North MP Iain Lees-Galloway (centre), Palmerston North Mayor Grant Smith and Waka Kotahi Director of Regional Relationships (Lower North Island) Emma Speight.

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More information

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For more information on Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway, please contact us at teahuaturanga@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website nzta.govt.nz/teahuaturanga

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