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Kia ora and welcome to the latest newsletter on Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway – the 11.5km route to reconnect the Manawatū, Tararua District, Hawke’s Bay and northern Wairarapa, replacing the closed State Highway 3 Manawatū Gorge route.

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Work is well underway on the creation of a main haul road in the 'Zone 4' work area, on the eastern side of the highway alignment near Woodville.

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Construction progressing well

We’re delighted to report that our large programme of earthworks is progressing well, with more than 130,000 cubic metres of material moved to date. Over the total project we’ll move about six million cubic metres.

Most of our work areas are running on or ahead of schedule, with earthworks at the highway’s western end in particular making great progress. This area has begun to transform over the last couple of months, with the changes visible from parts of Ashhurst.

Elsewhere, foundations are now being built for Parahaki Bridge – the highway’s 300m structure over the Manawatū River. The bridge will have three piers, one in the river with the other two on the banks.

In the wind farm area, we are building the foundations of the project’s underpass (providing access for landowners) at Morgan Road. Over the next six months the concrete floor, walls and roof of the underpass will be constructed insitu, followed by embankment retaining walls for the road to pass over.

On the eastern side of the highway, our focus is completing the main haul road along with erosion and sediment control installations for key earthworks areas. We are also working to install drainage facilities that will ensure the long-term stability of the embankments.

Our landscaping team is continuing fencing at the Massey Tuapaka and Beagley farm properties, with planting likely to be in early May as conditions improve. This work is part of the project’s commitment to planting nearly two million native species during highway construction.

Images below: Early works are underway for Parahaki Bridge (top) and the underpass at Morgan Road (middle); Bottom: Fencing is ongoing at Beagley Farm ahead of a start to planting in May.

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Out and about in our community

A range of staff from the project enjoyed meeting locals at Central Districts Field Days in March (pictured below).

Our site included a giant map of the new highway route, plus our interactive ‘drive the highway’ software which puts you at the steering wheel, traversing the future 11.5km route between Ashhurst and Woodville.

We’re looking forward to more community engagement in May at a series of public information sessions around the region (details below). In addition, the visitor information centre at our site office near Ashhurst will soon be complete and plans are underway for project information displays in Woodville.

The Te Ahu a Turanga procurement team had a great turn-out to two information sessions in late February, in Dannevirke and Palmerston North. The evening events were for local businesses interested in finding out how to apply for work on the highway, and included a run-down of the procurement process and all the support available to help businesses with a successful bid.

Public Information Sessions

18 May 2021 Pahīatua: Bush MultiSport Park, 57 Huxley Street, 4-6pm

19 May 2021 Ashhurst: Project Site Office, 1600 Napier Road, 4-6pm

20 May 2021 Woodville: Woodville Sports Stadium, 64 Ross Street, 5-7pm

25 May 2021 Dannevirke: Dannevirke Sports Centre, 6 Anderson Street, 4-6pm

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Local and national media attended the recent ceremony to mark the moving of the moa bones to Te Manawa, Palmerston North Museum.

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Ancient moa bones discovered

You may well have read about the exciting discovery made onsite last month.

The bones of at least two individual moa were found during earthworks and, following the initial discovery on 9 March, further bones were unearthed including a sternum and ribs. Early investigations suggest the bones could be many thousands of years old.

A pre-dawn ceremony to move the bones to Te Manawa, Palmerston North Museum – where they will remain for at least three months – was led by iwi representatives earlier this month.

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Te Ahu a Turanga wins national planning award

The Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway Alliance has been recognised by the country’s planning sector, taking out the New Zealand Planning Institute’s Best Practice Award for consultation and participation strategies and/or processes.

At the heart of the award was the vital role that iwi partnership played in the planning stages of the project, culminating in an historic ‘first’: Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway being the first major infrastructure project in New Zealand to have iwi involved from the outset, as project partners at the governance level and in roles throughout the Alliance.

The project’s Owner Interface Manager, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency’s Lonnie Dalzell says: “Te Ahu a Turanga represents a new paradigm for Iwi-Crown relations and provides a pathway to a partnership model for the co-design of infrastructure in Aotearoa New Zealand.

“The award is recognition of the significant amount of effort that has gone into developing a genuine partnership, using the Treaty of Waitangi principles as our guide.”

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Upcoming repairs will significantly improve the safety and condition of the road.

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Saddle Road closures in April and May for essential repairs

Though not part of the Te Ahu a Turanga project, please note the following planned closures on Saddle Road.

The Saddle Road will be closed for essential pavement repairs and maintenance works at various times from 18 April to 14 May. These repairs will significantly improve the safety and condition of the road.

The narrow, steep and windy road is difficult to maintain and is a challenging environment to work on with the increased volumes of traffic since the Manawatū Gorge closure – so full closures are needed to ensure crews have enough time to complete the work safely, efficiently and to a high standard.

Subject to weather, the closures are scheduled for:

• Sunday 18 – Thursday 22 April (five night-time closures)
Night: 6pm-6am

• Monday 26 April (one night-time closure on Anzac Day)
Night: 6pm-6am

• Tuesday 27 – Friday 30 April (four day-time and night-time closures)
Day: 9am-4pm
Night: 6pm-6am

• Monday 3 – Friday 7 May (five day-time closures)  
Day: 9am-2:30pm

• Monday 10 – Friday 14 May (five day-time closures)
Day: 9am-2:30pm

Detours are via the Pahīatua Track. The Saddle Road will be open to residents, Te Ahu a Turanga project teams and for emergency access at all times.

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More information

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For more information, please use one of more of the following methods:

nzta.govt.nz/teahuaturanga

facebook.com/nztacni

twitter.com/wakakotahicni

0800 740 560

teahuaturanga@nzta.govt.nz

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