NZTA Awards Contract for SH29 Tauriko West Road Phase 1 Construction

The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has now awarded a contract to deliver the first phase of the State Highway 29 (SH29) Tauriko West Road of National Significance (RoNS), with the Ōmanawa Bridge replacement set to begin construction in October this year, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.

Since endorsing the SH29 Tauriko West investment case in April, and a phased delivery approach, I’m pleased to see NZTA is continuing to work hard on this important project to improve safety, resilience, and freight efficiency along SH29, a critical corridor within the Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga triangle, Mr Bishop says.

These improvements are part of the now $7 billion of already confirmed Government-funded projects around New Zealand expected to begin construction before Christmas, reinforcing the Government’s commitment to deliver a strong pipeline of projects to support jobs and growth.

With $92 million set aside to deliver the project, a $42 million construction contract for the Ōmanawa Bridge replacement has been awarded by NZTA to HEB Construction Limited, with site works starting in September, followed by construction starting in October 2025. This work includes realigning SH29 with the new bridge and making minor improvements to the SH29/Ōmanawa Road intersection.

A standardised ‘off the shelf’ bridge design is being used that will improve delivery timeframes. The design will also accommodate a 1-in-100-year flood, enable future overweight freight loads getting to and from the Port of Tauranga, and be placed on an alignment that fits the future design of Tauriko West.

NZTA is also in the process of awarding a contract to support phase two of the project. This includes completing route protection and consenting for a new four-lane SH29 from Redwood Interchange to Takitimu North Link interchange and upgrades to SH29A from Takitimu Drive Toll Road to Barkes Corner.

Identifying the land needed and gaining consents for future phases will give landowners and the community certainty of the route and protects it from being built out in upcoming development of the area. It also ensures NZTA is ready and able to move forward when further funding for design and construction is available.

Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty are growing fast and the SH29 Tauriko West project will support the potential development of 30,000 new houses in the Western Corridor by 2063, support the Tauriko Business Estate extension, as well as improve travel time reliability by 40 per cent, and reduce deaths and serious injuries by 50 per cent.

Awarding the construction contract for the Ōmanawa Bridge is a major step forward in delivering a safer, more resilient SH29, and I look forward to construction getting underway in October this year.