Site blessing paves way for Western Bay of Plenty's Ōmokoroa Road upgrade

Omokoroa Road urbanisation project started today with a site blessing by Pirirakau hapū kaumatua Tame Kuku (centre left) and mayor Garry Webber turning the first sod. Photo / Supplied

A blessing and sod turning heralded the start of construction of the Ōmokoroa Rd urbanisation, from Western Ave to Tralee St.

Pirirakau hapū kaumatua Tame Kuka blessed the site before turning the first sod with Western Bay mayor Garry Webber to signify the start of construction today.

The special moment was attended by J Swap Limited contract director Shanan Mowatt and a large team of construction workers, Western Bay councillors and staff, Piririkau representatives and project consultants.

The Ōmokoroa Rd Urbanisation (Western to Tralee) is the first of the five projects planned to be completed in Ōmokoroa over the next two years.

The total projects are estimated to cost $50 million of which $14m is co-funded by the Government under the Crown Infrastructure Partnership (CIP) programme.

Webber said the project was expected to be delivered over the 2020/2022 construction seasons, with completion estimated to be by June 2022.

"We are pleased to have J Swap Contractors doing the work as they have come to know the Omokoroa community from previous contracts – and the community also has a high level of comfort with the Swap team," he said.

"We ask the community to be patient during the construction phase – there will be disruption to traffic flows – but the entire project will be carefully managed to keep impacts to a minimum."

Work will include upgrading Omokoroa Rd from Western Ave to Tralee St to an urbanised standard complete with kerbing, footpath/cycle path, lighting, drainage, utility services and landscaping.

There will be roundabouts at Tralee St and at McKenna Ln, plus improved entrances to Fresh Choice supermarket and the commercial shopping area. Utilities services will be partially undergrounded.

The $8.2 million project is funded by the council ($2.63m), Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency ($3.87m) and CIP ($1.7m) - as part of Central Government's stimulus package.

The project is part of a series of Council infrastructure developments across the Ōmokoroa Peninsula to cater for subdivision and population growth through to 2022.

Combined, these projects are the result of sound planning work and reflect the spatial planning that will support all land use development in Ōmokoroa in years to come.

The council estimates that by 2060, the Ōmokoroa Peninsula will be fully developed and home to an estimated 12,000 residents.