The Hawke‘s Bay region is experiencing a prolonged period of economic growth and significant investment is being made in the transport infrastructure to support the increased demand on the transport network, particularly from freight.

The roadworks underway on key routes around the Hawke‘s Bay are a result of the strategic plan developed by the Regional Transport Committee. Their aim is to improve safety and efficiency across the region‘s strategic routes, including the efficient transport of freight to and from Napier Port.

The total investment in the 2015-18 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) is $245 million.

The local works are funded by each of the respective councils, while the RTC has been instrumental in guiding how regional funds should be spent and which projects have the highest priority for the region.

RTC chair Alan Dick says with the current major work completed, Hawke‘s Bay will have an arterial roading network as good as any in provincial New Zealand. He says immediate future priority will then shift to State Highway 2 North with bridge strengthening in Hastings district to provide for heavier, large capacity trucks, and safety improvements across the region.

Major road works underway include Hawke‘s Bay Expressway Improvements; the SH2/2A/Watchman Road intersection upgrade; a roundabout at the Pakowhai Road-SH50-Links Road intersection; the Whakatu Arterial Link which is designed to move freight traffic safely and efficiently from the Whakatu industrial park onto the Hawke‘s Bay Expressway; the Prebensen Drive-Hyderabad roundabout; and safety improvements on State Highway 2 between Pakipaki and Waipukurau.