Tairawhiti Roads seeks millions in funding

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TAIRAWHITI Roads has lodged applications worth more than $10.6 million with the New Zealand Transport Agency to fund emergency repair work on the district’s roads and to buy additional heavy metal for unsealed roads.

The largest application of $9.1 million is for a 100 percent subsidy for emergency repair relief work on the roads.

“Of that sum, $3.6 million is for work on roads leading to forests around the region,” said Tairawhiti Roads general manager Dave Hadfield.

“A further $454,000 is for work on Tiniroto Road and $5.05m is for work on flood-damaged sites around the district.”

Mr Hadfield said the other application lodged so far was for additional heavy metalling on unsealed roads, amounting to $1.5m.

“We will lodge a third application later this month asking the NZTA to accelerate the transition of the current subsidy rate from the current 64 percent up to 67 percent, and for that to start on July 1 this year.

“If approved, that move would effectively save the ratepayers of the district a million dollars.”

The funding application update was warmly received at the meeting of the assets and infrastructure committee and Mr Hadfield was congratulated on it.