Transport Minister Simeon Brown is welcoming news of progress being made by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi on the first of several crucial resilience projects underway on the South Island’s West Coast.

“State highways across the West Coast are critical lifelines for communities throughout the region, including for freight and tourism. The Government is committed to ensuring these lifelines are resilient to ongoing severe weather events and other natural hazards,” Brown said.

Work to improve vulnerable sections of the state highway network along the West Coast are being delivered through the Crown-funded Transport Resilience Fund, with a $22.7m package for the West Coast region.

With more than a dozen West Coast projects being funded through the Transport Resilience Fund, Brown said this work will help build road resilience with significant upgrades for slip management and flood mitigation.

The first major construction project to start includes river protection works at the Whataroa River on SH6, which began in May. Phase two work on the eastern bridge abutment planned for late July. Similar protection work at the nearby Wanganui River bridge is currently at the end of the design review phase.

Once this river protection work is completed, it will ensure both bridges are less vulnerable to the intense weather seen on the West Coast.

Project teams are also replacing the Douglas No.2 culvert south of Bruce Bay, replacing the aging culvert with a new 8.8m double box culvert.

“The Coalition Government is committed to making sure our state highways are resilient and maintained to the standard Kiwis expect,” Brown said.

“It’s great to see progress being made on these crucial projects on the West Coast, and I look forward to them being completed.”