Hairpin in risky road removed

After more than two months and $1 million worth of work, the direct road between Rotorua and Tauranga has finally reopened.

The new-look road opened again on Friday night after work to remove the notorious hairpin bend in the Mangorewa Rd was completed.

During construction 120,000 tonnes of earth were removed as workers realigned a 600m stretch of the road.

In his vintage car, Western Bay of Plenty Mayor Graeme Weld was the first to drive down the road after its official opening on Friday.

He said the opening had been a long time coming, following more than a decade of debate about what to do with the tight bend in the road.

Mr Weld acknowledged the inconvenience people had suffered because of the works but said the only option for council was to close the road.

The new road should cut the travelling time between the two cities to 40 minutes.

Western Bay of Plenty roading manager Alister McCaw said the job had been a huge one, involving dropping the old road 10m and straightening it.

The work was the last project in a 10-year programme to get the road to state highway status.

- NZPA