Top 10 stories this week - July 17

The traffic light intersection at Cameron Rd and 11th Ave is ranked as the worst local road intersection with 20 crashes in the past five years. Photo/John Borren

From awesome sand art that was spotted at the Mount to learning about teen texting, here are the stories that went big this week.

- Population growth in Papamoa is expected to outstrip all of Tauranga City by 50 per cent by the year 2028 and Bay business leaders say it's also poised for a commercial development boom.

- The arrival of Kmart at Tauranga's Bethlehem Town Centre will result in the demolition of an existing food and liquor retail block to accommodate a new roading network

Mark Baker and The Man Cave in the garage of his home. Photo/George Novak

- Do you know what POS means? Or MOS? How about CD9? Or KPC? Because if you don't - and chances are you don't based on parents Bay of Plenty Times Weekend spoke - you might be wise to learn.

- Half of the serious crashes at inner-city intersections in the past five years were at traffic lights, figures from the city council have revealed.

- Steamers coaches Clayton McMillan and Rodney Gibbs have named their 2015 ITM Cup squad.

- Adam Dromgool is scared to add up how much his man cave cost, but thinks it's about $100,000.

A giant guitar drawn in the sand is believed to have been created by Tauranga artist and musician Jamie Harkins. Photo/supplied

- A Tauranga couple came across a giant guitar drawn in the sand during their walk around Mauao's base track.

- Buying a first home is increasingly affordable in the Bay of Plenty, says the boss of two local real estate companies.

Coast Papamoa Beach director Steve Short on the newly linked up road just before the fences came down. Photo / George Novak

- A key link in Papamoa's new roading outlet to State Highway 2 will open on time thanks to a council blunder.

- After five years of construction, Tauranga's new expressway will open to traffic on August 3 - five months earlier than originally planned.