Welcome focus on Northland roads

Though we are resigned to the fact that good things take time, it is certainly reassuring that road safety in the lower north is at last receiving some much-needed attention.

Following the tender for the re-alignment of the Matakohe bridges, principals gathered at the site on March 3 for an initial ‘sod-turning’ giving us some assurance that the start of the project is not far away.

Hardies Bridge and Anderson Bridge will be replaced with two-way structures as well as realigning the approach roads to the bridges to remove tight bends.

“As this stretch of highway is the main route to Dargaville and the Twin Coast Discovery it provides access for visitors and businesses, so improving its layout will help improve Northland's connections with the rest of New Zealand and help stimulate economic growth," said Minister of Transport, Simon Bridges, who took part in the sod-turning ceremony.

Mr Bridges also emphasised that transport infrastructure continues to be a priority in Northland as the region marked the start of a new project and the completion of another.

The Brynderwyn Hills Safer System Project is now complete with the $18 million project involving widening the existing road, removing tight corners and installing a median wire rope barrier.

For recreational cyclists, work is about to begin on a new Urban Cycleway. Known as the Kamo Shared Path, the $6.6m project will connect areas north of the city with the Whangarei CBD via a 6km arterial route.

- REPORTING / Rob Pooley

START: Sod turning for the Matakohe bridges project are, from left, Iwi representative Gabriel Thompson, WDC councillor and roading committee member John Bain, Transport Minister Simon Bridges, and KDC councillor Peter Wethey.