Bulldozers and diggers will become a regular sight at the State Highway 2 and Ōmokoroa Road intersection as work kicks up a gear.

From Saturday, July 6, the carpark and Park and Ride will be closed and relocated just north of Prole Road, making way for the construction crew to start ground preparations for the roundabout.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council infrastructure group general manager Cedric Crow says it’s been a while since the community has seen activity around the intersection, with the trees and vegetation being removed late last year, so this next part of the project is very exciting. 

“Behind the scenes, the team has still been very busy. We have been focusing on other parts of the project such as finalising fibre and power arrangements, ongoing property discussions, and planning for an upcoming community open day later this year.

“Constructing a roundabout so close to a busy intersection and State Highway is a complex task that involves coordinating lots of different things, almost like putting together a very large jigsaw puzzle. Every piece of the puzzle has a certain place, and time.

“Rest assured, our construction teams are great at puzzles, and are working diligently ‘offline’ away from the main road to help minimise traffic impacts as this project takes shape.” 

A map showing where the new park and ride will be relocated to on Ōmokoroa Road.

As part of the initial earthworks, the 27-tonne stone, also known as the ‘Lizard Stone’ will be moved and kept in safe storage, until its final location is decided on with local hapū Pirirākau and Public Art Ōmokoroa closer to the completion of the project.

Council says its will keep people updated with a community information session date once it has been locked in.

To keep up to date with the project, see progress shots and if you have any questions in the meantime, check out our project website.

About the project

The State Highway 2 / Ōmokoroa Road intersection upgrade is to address safety and capacity issues and unlock housing potential in Ōmokoroa.

The upgrade will include:

• a new interim roundabout at the State Highway 2 / Ōmokoroa Road intersection
• four-laning on Ōmokoroa Road from SH2 to Prole Road
• a new roundabout, servicing the industrial area, at the future Francis Road intersection.
• the closure and relocation of driveways opposite the state highway intersection.

This is a minimum 10-year interim solution to address the immediate needs of the intersection, until funding becomes available to build a full interchange.

In July 2022, Council was allocated $38 million for the project from the Infrastructure Acceleration Fund, which is administered by Kāinga Ora on behalf of the Crown.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi will also contribute $5 million to the upgrade, and supply land worth $1.49 million.