Funding for 14 local roads
National announced at its conference, $212 million of funding for regional and local roads. This is additional funding on top of funding from petrol tax, and road user charges, and comes out of the partial sales of the SOEs. So it is swapping an investment in one type of asset (dams) for an investment in anothe rtype of asset – roading infrastructure.
The 14 roads are:
- Kawarau Falls Bridge, in Otago
- Mingha Bluff to Rough Creek realignment, in Canterbury
- Akerama Curves Realignment and Passing Lane, in Northland
- State Highway 35 Slow Vehicle Bays, in Gisborne
- Normanby Overbridge Realignment, in Taranaki.
- Whirokino Trestle Bridge replacement, in Manawatu/Wanganui
- Motu Bridge replacement, in Gisborne
- Opawa and Wairau Bridge replacements, in Marlborough
- Taramakau Road/Rail Bridge, on the West Coast
- Loop road north to Smeatons Hill safety improvements, in Northland
- Mt Messenger and Awakino Gorge Corridor, in Taranaki.
- Port of Napier access package, in Hawke’s Bay
- Nelson Southern Link, in Nelson
- Rotorua Eastern Arterial, in Bay of Plenty.
The first five are to begin construction this year and finish in 2016/17.
The next six to begin construction within three years.
The last three are to complete the design phase.