Source: Radio New Zealand
Te Ara o Te Ata – Mt Messenger Bypass project construction in February 2025. NZTA / Waka Kotahi
The budget for a major Taranaki road has climbed up in costs from $365 million to nearly $600m.
The Mt Messenger Bypass will be a new six-kilometre route that avoids the existing steep, narrow and winding road over Mt Messenger on State Highway 3 in north Taranaki.
It had been subject to multiple legal challenges, which in combination with associated delays on construction NZTA estimated would cost $350m.
The transport agency’s board confirmed up to $590m to complete the southern and central sections of the project.
In March it was reported the road had a budget of $365.1m.
It said the northern section of the project remained subject to ongoing legal challenges regarding one final parcel of land needed for the bypass.
“NZTA expects to confirm an investment range and delivery timeframe for the northern section once all legal challenges have been resolved.”
Its transport services group general manager Kevin Doherty said the agency’s preferred approach was always to acquire land through agreement.
“Since 2017, there have been many attempts to acquire the land by agreement, and the landowners have been presented with 20 offers – including options for new housing elsewhere across their 683-hectare landholdings.”
The project reached a milestone last month when a 110-tonne excavating machine, called Hinetūparimaunga, broke through at the northern end of the project’s 235 metre-long tunnel.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
