MP, iwi push to upgrade Te Ngae Rd

Rotorua MP Todd McClay is calling on New Zealand Transport Agency to revisit upgrading Te Ngae Rd, including a roundabout near the Rotorua Airport. Photo / Stephen Parker

Calls have been made to upgrade Te Ngae Rd or risk the city missing out on business and regional growth.

Rotorua MP Todd McClay said he had asked the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) to revisit the option to upgrade the road as they continued to investigate the Rotorua Eastern Arterial Route.

This follows yesterday's announcement by NZTA of a $591 million transport package for the Bay of Plenty region.

Mr McClay told the Rotorua Daily Post the option to upgrade Te Ngae Rd had been there for some years but the arterial was the preferred option by NZTA.

"I've asked NZTA to look at it again, growth in the region is likely to take place and we obviously need to progress in the short term and upgrading Te Ngae Rd may offer some opportunity for that," he said.

Mr McClay said he wanted to see the Tarawera roundabout and the Sala St roundabout upgraded, and a new roundabout built at the airport.

"Traffic is looking to increase, in particular truck traffic with Red Stag Timber investing in wood processing here and its close capacity to the Port of Tauranga so it will increasingly get busier.

"I'm not sure if Rotorua can wait 10 to 15 years for the Eastern Arterial, we need to unlock the economic development being so close to Tauranga."

Mr McClay's comments have found support from local Maori who oppose the proposed Eastern Arterial, which would run over traditional land of three Te Arawa hapu - Ngati Hurunga Te Rangi, Ngati Te Roro o Te Rangi and Ngati Uenukukopako.

"We absolutely support this. We were the ones encouraging an upgrade to Te Ngae Rd," Ngati Te Roro o Te Rangi spokesman Paraone Pirika said.

"That roadway was designated for four lanes, this honours what our old people gave the road for, they gave it to be a four-lane highway so they should bloody build one. We want the arterial taken off the agenda, we have land tied up for 40, 50, 60 years and it is very difficult to work it when road plans are running through it."

Mr Pirika said they had a bit more input and consultation with NZTA and the Rotorua Lakes Council but the hapu were still "building trust" with the organisations.

NZTA acting Waikato Bay of Plenty regional director, Robert Brodnax, said they were working still with the council to come up with a plan to make Rotorua's network long term, so it supported local development and supported the community's needs.

"This complements the council's longer-term spatial planning under way.

"The eastern corridor along Te Ngae Rd is a critical component of this work and with council we are looking at a bunch of ideas in this area including the three major intersections from Te Puia to Tarawera, how to improve safety for people living in communities off Te Ngae Rd and the ideal transport contribution to the council's inner city revitalisation strategy," Mr Brodnax said.

"This work will inform the investigation into the longer-term needs in the Eastern Corridor, including the Rotorua Eastern Arterial designation."

Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Te Ngae Rd upgrade option could include:

* Roundabouts at Tarawera Rd and Sala Rd upgraded

* A new roundabout at the Rotorua Airport

* Increasing Te Ngae Rd to four lanes past the airpor