Coastal Highway Group Say Project Still Viable
February 5th, 2009
Proponents of the upgrade of the coastal highway north of Wellington, The Coastal Highway Group, says lack of a designation is not a major hurdle to building a bypass at Pukerua Bay. Spokesman, Dick Jessup, says one of the election promises made by the National Party was to speed up the consent processes for new projects and this must mean clearing the path for a bypass will not be subject to the intolerable planning delays experienced in the past.
Houses minor problem. He says most of the route on the inland side of Pukerua Bay village is as it was when there was a designation. The subdivision and buildings on part of the old route may mean a bypass will have to be shifted further east but but claims it does not present a significant hurdle. “There is no reason why a bypass cannot be built relatively quickly and at reasonable cost.”
Gully route dead. The Coastal Highway Group says the fact the Transport Minister is not convinced of the merits of Transmission Gully means this “monstrous” project is dead. “The focus must be turned on the progressive improvement of the existing route all the way to Levin. Pukerua Bay and Paekakariki are the obvious starting points.” Jessup says rather than hold out for the unaffordable and unnecessary Transmission Gully motorway, the Wellington region needs to get behind projects which are useful and fundable.
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