PHOTO: The Te Ahu a Turanga highway. WSP
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is blaming the previous government for a significant cost increase on the new highway connecting Manawatū and Tararua in the lower North Island.
Brown attributes the overspend, now projected at $824.1 million—up from an initial budget of $620 million—to various factors, including inflation, supply chain issues, and the previous government’s late addition of a shared user path along the route. This added complexity to the design of the Parahaki River Bridge, contributing to the increased costs.
The new highway between Manawatū and Tararua is expected to open in the middle of next year, possibly with a toll. Photo: RNZ
Due to the budget overruns and demands on the National Land Transport Fund, a toll is being proposed for the road, which is expected to open in mid-2025. Brown noted that while those who use the road would pay a toll of $4.30 for cars and $8.60 for trucks, two free alternatives—Saddle Road and Pahīatua Track—will still be available for those who choose not to pay.
Locals and the Labour Party’s transport spokesman have expressed dissatisfaction with Brown’s rationale. Tararua District Mayor Tracey Collis voiced surprise at the cost increase but questioned the timing of the toll proposal, citing ongoing concerns about project budgets and the challenges posed by COVID-19 during construction.
Map of the Manawatū Highway
Residents and business owners in Woodville were also skeptical about the justification for the toll, with many feeling that cost overruns are common in construction projects. They were particularly frustrated that the toll was proposed without prior consultation.
Labour MP Tangi Utikere criticized the tolling proposal as an unfair burden on the local community, pointing out that there had been no indication of tolling during earlier discussions about the highway.
The NZ Transport Agency acknowledged the original budget was set in early 2021, but noted that rising costs in construction projects had impacted the overall budget. The Tararua District Council is actively campaigning against the toll, urging residents to voice their opposition ahead of the public consultation deadline on October 7. Mayor Collis emphasized that anger over the proposed toll is widespread among the community.
SOURCE: RNZ