The Government has allocated $657 million to be invested in Hawke’s Bay during the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) period … $616 million for roads.
On a per capita basis, HB gets the third lowest spend of all regions in NZ.
The forecasted investment for HB includes:
- $154m for maintenance operations
- $216m to fix potholes ($74m for state highways, $142m for local roads)
- $246m for improvements
- $800,000 for safety
- $32m for public transport
- $4.5m for walking and cycling infrastructure (a loser in this budget, ‘nice to haves’ as this Government sees it)
This includes $100m for commencing planning, design and starting construction (by 2027) to widen the Expressway, with the initial phase focusing on the 6.5km section between the roundabouts at Taradale Road and Pākowhai/Links Road.
Of course widening the Expressway is sure to increase traffic. And widening to 4, 8 or 16 lanes won’t improve congestion and travel times if nothing is done about the roundabouts, which are where the blockages actually arise. Hopefully flyovers are part of the scheme.
As to whether the widened Expressway should be a toll road, MPs Katie Nimon and Catherine Wedd hedge, replying to BayBuzz:
“The Government expects that NZTA will consider tolling to construct and maintain all new roads, including the Roads of National Significance, such as the Hawke’s Bay Expressway … The Government will support all recommendations by NZTA to toll roads.
“We are committed to hearing and sharing the views of the Hawke’s Bay electorate as your representatives for the region.”
Note that the NZTA board is chaired by former National transport minister Simon Bridges.
Under the Government’s broader transport policies, substantial road user charges are in our future, with a 12 cents per litre increase to be imposed in 2027. Painful, but hopefully incentivising movement to EVs and more efficient vehicles … and less driving.
A partial win in the announcement is a commitment of funding to look into design, consenting and property purchase related to possible realignment at the Waikare Gorge. The region’s leaders, especially Mayor Craig Little, were hopeful of full funding of a new road/bridge solution. This wasn’t granted, but the Government is signaling that option is still alive. “I will continue to fight for reduced travel time between Wairoa and Napier. While the overbridge at Waikare Gorge isn’t first up, it’s still on the table,” said MP Nimon.
Martin Williams, Chairperson of the Hawke’s Bay Regional Transport Committee, commented: “The Waikare Realignment project is the number one priority project in our new Regional Land Transport Plan that was submitted for National Land Transport Funding this year. The region has been clear and aligned in its views that the Waikare Realignment project is the most suitable solution to add resilience to this vital economic and lifeline link, moving the river crossing out of harm’s way and contributing to reduced travel times for road users.”
The public transport funding will enable implementation in this NLTP period of the National Ticketing Solution that allows public transport users to tag on and off with their contactless debit or credit card.
“We are both delighted with the investment in Hawke’s Bay. We know that this funding will provide welcome relief to constituents and those who travel through the Bay. With this funding we can continue to rebuild from cyclone damage and build the infrastructure that Hawke’s Bay needs. We will both keep working hard to ensure that our Government continues to deliver for the Hawke’s Bay region,” said MPs Nimon and Wedd in a joint media release.
It really concerns me, but am not at all surprised, that our two (National Party) Hawkes Bay M.P.s both state publicly how pleased they are with the Government funding allocation for transport “upgrade” in our region – yet you report that we are very low on this Government’s actual road funding priority list! Quite the reality disconnect going on there, sadly.
The road between Hastings & Napier should be increased to 4 lanes as fast as possible so the Hawkes Bay region can increase its fruit production as well as the Agriculture need to beable to get there trucks on time at there destination. As the population increase so does the cars or other transportation. All electric cars should pay higher taxes as the other fuels are paying for idea. Nz has the WORST public transportation as it can not take u to any employment. So therefore cars will always be here. As humans do what they want. Trying to make the public go without means less production or money making plans. BUILD a bridge to Napier and lets make money some day
Yes. Let’s look forward to the future with more positivity! For as well as peoples, goods transport, getting to and from the Hastings, Hawkes Bay Regional Hospital, on time, can sometimes be quite a mission.
Looking forward to them getting on with the work!
The Ahuriri Estuary Protection Society are really concerned about expressway extensions over the estuary to Watchman Rd. When the expressway was first built, Waka Kotahi planned a full span bridge. At the last minute, they changed their plan and filled in half way across the channel and built half a span, the filled-in part having some tunnels for water to pass through. Whether they widen it to the west or the east they will damage sensitive wildlife areas – The Scrapes at Westshore Lagoon: a vital roosting and feeding area for many different migratory and shore birds, or between the bridges: mudbanks for feeding, fish nursery, and an area with an endangered native plant.
No side of the expressway is a good side for the well-being of this nationally-significant Wildlife Refuge.
Does the expanded road even need to go to Watchman Rd? We intend to collect the data.
Good to hear, but is something that should have been dealt with by NZTA some time ago. Cyclone Gabriel showed just how temperamental our bridges are, and congestion as a result of this showed the importance of the expressway. The $100 million just gets us to the construction stage, and knowing successive governments, it will probably be some considerable years until it comes to fruition. And this is only a partial fix, and will not ease congestion along the length of the expressway, just a small portion. Still it is a move forward and makes our MP’s look good. The proof would be a commitment to move past the initial stage and actually make it happen. I am comfortable in paying a ‘reasonable’ toll but it needs to be for the length of the expressway, not just and small section. As a new person to bay I understood that initially this was meant to have be a 4 lane expressway but the powers that be decided to save money, now we end up with something we should have already had?