Ōmokoroa/SH2 upgrade: Park and Ride to relocate as intersection work kicks up a gear

The State Highway 2 turnoff to Ōmokoroa is having a facelift. Photo / Andrew Warner

Bulldozers and diggers will become a regular sight at the intersection of State Highway 2 and Ōmokoroa Rd, as work kicks up a gear.

From Saturday, the carpark and Park and Ride will be closed and relocated just north of Prole Rd, making way for the construction crew to start ground preparations for the roundabout.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council infrastructure group general manager Cedric Crow said in a statement today it had been a while since the community had seen activity around the intersection, with the trees and vegetation being removed late last year, so this next part of the project was exciting.

“We have been focusing on other parts of the project such as finalising fibre and power arrangements, ongoing property discussions, and planning for an upcoming community open day later this year,” Crow said.

“Constructing a roundabout so close to a busy intersection and State Highway is a complex task that involves co-ordinating lots of different things, almost like putting together a very large jigsaw puzzle. Every piece of the puzzle has a certain place, and time.”

The construction team were working to minimise traffic impacts as this project took shape, Crow said.

As part of the initial earthworks, a 27-tonne stone, also known as the “Lizard Stone” will be moved and kept in safe storage until its final location was decided on with local hapū Pirirākau and Public Art Ōmokoroa, closer to the completion of the project.

The carpark and Park and Ride will be closed and relocated just north of Prole Rd.

The council said it would keep people updated with a community information session date once it had been locked in.

About the project

The State Highway 2/Ōmokoroa Rd intersection upgrade is to address safety and capacity issues and unlock housing potential in Ōmokoroa.

The upgrade will include:

• a new interim roundabout at the State Highway 2/Ōmokoroa Rd intersection
• four-laning on Ōmokoroa Rd from SH2 to Prole Rd
• a new roundabout, servicing the industrial area, at the future Francis Rd intersection.
• the closure and relocation of driveways opposite the state highway intersection.

This is a minimum 10-year interim solution to address the immediate needs of the intersection, until funding becomes available to build a full interchange.

In July 2022, the council was allocated $38 million for the project from the Infrastructure Acceleration Fund, which is administered by Kāinga Ora on behalf of the Crown.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi will also contribute $5 million to the upgrade and supply land worth $1.49m.

- SunLive