Kamo bypass plans rolling along | Northland News | Local News in Northland

Construction on stage two of the Kamo bypass is expected to begin by the end of next month - and motorists are being warned to expect some traffic delays.

The timeframe for the job, which will take a $24 million bite out of $51 million allocated to upgrade state highways through Whangarei, was announced in Whangarei yesterday by Transport Minister Steven Joyce.

Also announced  was  the awarding of a contract to formally investigate a route for a motorway from Puhoi to Wellsford.

Mr Joyce said that at this early stage the first half of the 38km corridor could be complete within 10 years. The second half, to Wellsford, would be more challenging to finish in that time.

"No work had been done on this project prior to it being confirmed as a road of national significance last year so on our current timetable this will be the fastest ever major highway project completed in this country from start to finish," Mr Joyce said.

The Puhoi to Wellsford corridor had been identified as essential to reduce congestion, improve safety and support economic growth in the Auckland and Northland regions, he said.

Meanwhile, the successful tender for connecting Western Hills Dr with the existing Kamo bypass will be announced  in a few weeks.

Work is expected to start in late April, with a ballpark time-frame of 18-24 months for completion. Included in the roading reconfiguration, but separately tendered, will be a project led by the Whangarei District Council to extend Spedding Rd to Tikipunga.

 The bill for that roading project, which is expected to be completed by next summer, will be footed by New Zealand Transport Agency.

Mr Joyce was in town yesterday to give an update on progress on stage two of the  bypass and the widening of State Highway One on Western Hills Drive, including the junction with State Highway 14 at Maunu Rd.

Mr Joyce said that as well as easing traffic congestion, the projects offered jobs and other economic benefits to the district.

The series of complementary road  projects over the next three years has been dubbed "Keeping Whangarei Moving".
 Mr Joyce said the improvements were possible because the Government had set up a "funding pipeline" specifically for regional highways.

He said the Whangarei projects had been nudged along by strong lobbying from Whangarei MP Phil Heatley and Mayor Stan Semenoff.

Mr Semenoff said he was thrilled about the progress.

"The talkfest is over, the work is now being done," he said.

NZTA highways manager Tommy Parker said the bypass work would create minimal disruption to traffic because large stretches were "off line".

Progress on plans to improve the two-highway junction at Maunu Rd was well under way, with "significant property take and good dialogue with neighbours", Mr Parker said.

NZTA hoped to begin work on lane widening and realigning the intersection by the end of this year.