Tauranga traffic 'definitely no better' - ex-mayor Greg Brownless

Former Tauranga mayor Greg Brownless says traffic remains one of the city's biggest issues. Photo / File

It has been two years since Tauranga's traffic woes were dubbed the city's number one problem by then-mayor Greg Brownless.

Traffic numbers hit record highs in 2019 as vehicles choked key arterial routes throughout the region and motorists were subjected to a daily grind of congestion trying to get to and from work.

Asked what had been done since to improve the local roading network, council Transport System Plan (TSP) acting director Brendan Bisley said efforts were made to get traffic running smoother at "key pinch points" such as 15th Ave and Burrows St.

Bisley, who began in the Tauranga City Council director of transport role last year but has been seconded to head the plan for a few months, said there had been plenty of work happening behind the scenes which was expected to come to fore this year.

The plan is a partnership between Tauranga City Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Tangata Whenua, Port of Tauranga, Priority One and KiwiRail which identifies and prioritises what aspects of the local roading network need work to alleviate congestion and remedy safety deficiencies.

Turret Rd traffic has become a norm for local residents, but the causeway that meets with 15th Ave could be in line for big changes. Photo / George Novak

"The primary piece of work that we've been focusing on from about two years ago is the TSP study. That has now identified what our network investment should be over the next 20 years.

"The focus over the next three months is gearing up to deliver."

The plan is also responsible for a planned $1.065 billion investment in transport infrastructure over the next 10 years, with the transport agency hoped to offer a 51 per cent subsidy.

While "low cost, low risk" roading improvements under way will continue, progress will ramp up on larger and more expensive projects involving potential redesigns of 15th Ave/Turret Rd and the Hewletts Rd/Totara St/Hull Rd area.

"We are prioritising the ones we know will have a significant impact on the network," Bisley said.

Some of the plan's priority projects also included better cycling infrastructure and there was a business case being considered regarding the infrastructure of the city's bus networks.

But Bisley warned: "The infrastructure alone is not going to deliver.

"We have to start to look at mode shift, people travelling different ways to and from work ... everybody wins out of it.

Acting director the Transport System Plan (TSP) Brendan Bisley says they will be gearing up to deliver on key transport projects in the next three months. Photo / George Novak

"So we are trying to find a network system where everyone has the ability to do as they need to without just jamming the whole thing up with traffic and vehicles. If we don't, our traffic will just get longer, our queues will get longer and our congestion will just get worse."

Tauranga City Council team leader of transport strategy and planning Alistair Talbot said some of the larger projects were layered with complexities that prevented a swift result despite their priority.

"You look at Turret Rd and the causeway you've got some in the community of a view that four-laning is the answer. Others suggest protection of the estuary and harbour is important. So you have to work with that and because of the statutory process ... these can take some time."

Talbot said the past two years laid a solid foundation to push forward with designing some of the bigger projects, "so I guess that's the key focus now".

Brownless said he believed traffic was "still up there" as one of the city's biggest issues and he'd like to see more action.

"It's definitely no better and I think most people would say the same because nothing seems to have been done. We do have to do some physical works soon."

Brownless said people travelling on State Highway 29 and SH2 were regularly forced to stop in backed up traffic before they reached Tauranga so he felt there had been no improvement compared to two years ago.

"People are still coming here. Some people bike, very few take the bus. If you take everything as a whole, the traffic situation is still pretty bad," he said.