Upgrades to Tararua road, between Weber and Wimbledon, on track

Seal widening in progress along Route 52. Photo / Supplied

Work to upgrade a dangerous stretch of rural road in the Tararua has made good progress and is even ahead of schedule.

The upgrade of the 26km stretch of Route 52 between Weber and Wimbledon was well under way, with works planned for 2022 having commenced.

That was welcome news to locals, according to Dannevirke Community Board chairman and road safety spokesman Pat Walshe.

The issues with the road included potholes and slips, as well as narrow patches.

"It was dangerous," Walshe said. "Something had to be done."

He had gone out on a road trip with Tararua mayor Tracey Collis to talk to the locals, who were happy to see the progress that had been made.

"We've got to look after those people," Walshe said.

Some locals had preferred to go to Waipukurau instead of using the road to come to Dannevirke.

"We want them to come to [Dannevirke]."

The upgrade had been a long time coming.

Locals vented their frustration by painting a message on the road in 2018.

Drone footage of the message reflecting locals' frustration in 2018. Photo / Supplied

In 2019, the Tararua District Council was denied funding for the improvements to the road, which was in a "shocking" state.

Last year, the Government announced it would invest $14.6 million so the Tararua District Council could expand its roading programme on Route 52.

That funding has been administered by Kanoa - Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit and the project was managed by Tararua Alliance.

Since then a number of stages have been completed, such as widening works in the Wimbledon area to allow vehicles to safely pass.

Project manager Andrew Desmond said they were in the final stages of widening the road from an average of 5.3m to 7m.

He said the plan before Christmas was to do a general tidy up of freshly sealed areas, line marking and installing new signage along the 7km section.

"A broader tidy up of the 26km length will also occur, including fixing some of the potholes and slumps that have formed during winter and spring, in time for holiday traffic."

Further improvements planned for next year included making the road straighter and wider and improving overall visibility.

The project had also seen some positive outcomes for the district.

Kanoa-RDU senior regional adviser Natasha Morris said the project was about stimulating economic activity and creating work for local people and opportunities for local businesses.

"The social outcomes of this project are commendable," she said.

"Of the current 54 people working on the project, around 85 per cent are local.

"Not only has the road construction had a positive impact on the area's economy, but it has had an impact on people's lives and wellbeing.

"Helping our regions grow and develop to reach their full potential is what Kanoa-RDU strives for," Morris said.

Work was now paused for the Christmas break with a skeleton crew onsite to do off-road works with work resuming on January 10.

The project is expected to be completed in April 2024.