Pāpāmoa East Interchange construction
Tauranga is growing and changing fast. The coastal fringe is expected to grow significantly over the next 40 years, reaching up to 30,000 people by 2060. This includes more people and more traffic to get people to where they want to go.
We are committed to developing ‘liveable communities’ that ensure people are optimally connected to the places they live, learn, work and play.
To unlock development at Pāpāmoa East and allow further growth at Golden Sands and Wairākei, we will be constructing a new interchange at the eastern end of Te Okuroa Drive, to provide access to the motorway.
This interchange will enable faster travel between neighbourhoods in Pāpāmoa East and Tauranga city centre, Mount Maunganui and Te Puke for people choosing to travel by car. It will also provide a connection to the Rangiuru Business Park once that is operational.
The intersection will be constructed across the Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road/State Highway 2 (SH2), east of the Wairākei neighbourhood, linking Te Okuroa Drive and future The Sands Avenue. Earthworks to prepare for construction start in mid-July 2022 and the interchange is scheduled to be ready for use mid 2026. This work will have some impacts on traffic on the TEL TR – reduced speed and lane closures will apply when necessary to keep drivers and construction crew safe.
Artists impression of the new Pāpāmoa East Interchange
Why is this important?
Over the past few years, development in Pāpāmoa East has increased pressure on Tara Road as the main connection to SH2. This project will provide residents in the area with an alternative route and enable further development in Pāpāmoa East which helps support Tauranga’s growth. The Pāpāmoa East Interchange will ensure the community is connected to opportunities to live and work within parameters as defined by Smartgrowth’s UFTI.
Local students check out Pāpāmoa East Interchange progress
20 primary school students from Golden Sands School were thrilled to take a peak behind the scenes at the Pāpāmoa East Interchange work site in November. Here they learnt about construction and site safety, and some were lucky enough to take a seat in some of the construction machinery. Organised by TCC and hosted by HEB Construction who are responsible for Phase 2 of the work, it was a great day out for the students, parents and teachers. Great to see young engineering minds being inspired!
Read more about local students check out Pāpāmoa East Interchange progress.
Partners
This project is a collaboration between Tauranga City Council and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency with support from Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Western Bay of Plenty District Council. The work is guided by designers Bloxam Burnett & Olliver (BBO) and construction is in the hands of HEB Construction Ltd.
We are also working with our iwi partners Te Kapu o Waitaha, Tapuika Iwi Authority, Ngā Pōtiki a Tamapahore Trust and Te Rununga o Ngāti Whakaue ki Maketū. This partnership includes capturing and documenting stories from tangata whenua that relate to the area and its history and cultural monitoring during the early phases of earth works.
Construction stages
As some of the construction site is on farmland, which was part of the Kaituna wetlands, we need to allow nine months for earthworks settlement. This work started in July 2022. Construction of the interchange itself is likely to commence in late-2023 and conclude early 2026.
Stage 1
Earth works have now been completed. This phase included:
- A nine metre high embankment – forming the westbound (Tauranga) exit and entry ramps of the interchange
- Installing three culverts, including one under the Tauranga Eastern Link, and culvert extensions
- Installing flexible safety barriers and widening the southern side of Tauranga Eastern Link
- Earthworks to build a stormwater retention pond, swales and connecting drains
Stage 2
Te Okuroa Drive extension – in progress, anticipated to conclude late 2023
This phase of the project includes construction of the extension of Te Okuroa Drive and the intersection with future The Sands Avenue. This phase is scheduled to finish at the end of 2023 and includes:
- The Te Okuroa and The Sands Avenue signalized intersection
- Te Okuroa Drive 4 lanes continuation (east) to intersection
- The works includes shared bi-directional cycleway, footpaths, traffic islands/refuges, stormwater, street lighting, traffic signals and utilities.
- Trunk water main to service Wairākei and Te Tumu
- Stormwater reticulation and culverts facilitating improved drainage.
- Wastewater trunk main to service Te Tumu
- CCTV cameras and associated fibre cable/ducting
During this phase of work a section of the cycle track alongside the Tauranga Eastern Link will be diverted via a purpose-built temporary track.
Stage 3
Pāpāmoa East Interchange and The Sands Avenue construction - leading north to the intersection with Te Okuroa Drive. Construction for the interchange itself is scheduled to start late 2023 and go conclude mid 2026. We are expecting to award the contract for this phase shortly and once that’s done will be able to share more details on the construction plan and anticipated impacts on traffic on the Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road.
Location
The intersection will be constructed over the Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road (SH2), east of Wairākei neighbourhood, linking Te Okuroa Drive and future Sands Avenue.
Traffic impacts on the Tauranga Eastern Link
With the conclusion of preliminary earth works, traffic management on the Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road (TEL TR)/State Highway 2 has now been removed. For now, no traffic management will be required until construction of the interchange itself commences in early 2024. We’ll be able to share details on what traffic management to support this phase of construction will look like closer to the time.