Backing the Mackays to Peka Peka Expressway

PASSIONATE: Otaki MP Nathan Guy addresses guests during a ceremony to mark the completion of the Mackays to Peka Peka Expressway.

One of the strongest supporters of the Mackays to Peka Peka Expressway has been Otaki MP Nathan Guy.

Mr Guy was a guest speaker during a ceremony held on the new Waikanae River bridge on Thursday morning to mark the completion of the expressway.

Mr Guy, who helped cut a ribbon to celebrate the occasion, said there had been talk of a Sandhills motorway, since the 1940s, from Johnsonville to Foxton, but over time various council's had taken the designation off except for the Kapiti council.

Over time the Paraparaumu and Waikanae communities had grown a lot but the connectivity, namely State Highway 1, had been poor.

"So this project is hugely important for our communities."

He praised the "vision and courage" of people such as former Transport Minister Steven Joyce, and Sir Brian Roche, who was chairman of the Transport Agency at the time.

"That was the catalyst for everyone to start thinking strategically about this area of land running through our community that was going to connect us from the south to the north.

"I have lived this project from that day.

"I have turned up to public meetings.

"I've had constituents in my office in Paraparaumu in tears because they were losing their property.

"And then a few years later I've had the odd phone call from those people saying 'Nathan I'm sorry that we were so tough on you, we believe this project is the right decision for this region and for our community'.

"I lobbied hard to make sure this project was not going to be a road that our locals couldn't get on, I lobbied to make sure it was going to connect our communities."

He said the expressway's benefits were immense in terms of productivity, safety, associated planting, wetlands, shared pathway, and more.

Mr Guy thanked everyone involved in the project especially the contractors.

And he praised the community "for living the vision but for being so patient as well".