Ten-year plan to fix roads

5.00pm

Transit New Zealand says it will spend $7.3 billion over ten years improving the country's highway system, including major projects to deal with traffic congestion in Auckland.

In a statement today announcing what it called "substantial" changes to a draft plan released in January, Transit said it planned to address the major roading priorities in each region.

Before some projects for 2003-04 proceed, Transit would review them to ensure they are "aligned with the Government's transport objectives".

Those projects include the Auckland North Shore Busway and Esmonde Rd interchange upgrade, the Mt Roskill extension of Auckland's southwestern motorway, the Mangatawhiri Deviation in the Waikato, the Hewlett's Rd flyover in Tauranga and the Wellington inner city bypass.

The plan includes other major projects in Napier, New Plymouth, Nelson and Christchurch.

Safety on rural highways will be improved by realigning dangerous sections, widening roads and bridges and upgrading intersections.

Transit plans to provide passing lanes at 5km intervals on high volume highways, and said it would build 83 new passing lanes in the next three years.

Thirteen new stock effluent disposal facilities will be created over ten years to help reduce spillage from stock trucks.

The 10-year plan provides an indication of when projects are likely to be developed but it is not firm. Transit said in a statement that the plan would be kept under review as funding levels and regional priorities change and as the timing of individual projects is affected by planning and land purchase delays.

- HERALD STAFF