Additional $12.8m on roading wish-list

An additional $12.8 million worth of transport projects has been added to a funding wish-list being co-ordinated by members of the Otago Regional Council's transport committee.

The New Zealand Transport Agency has requested six projects be put on the priority list to improve stretches on the State Highway network in Otago by bringing them up to standards required for new models of heavier and longer trucks.

Members of the regional transport committee agreed to add the $5.295 million worth of projects alongside an additional request from the Dunedin City Council for $5.9 million of new and improved infrastructure for Portobello Rd and the Peninsula roading upgrade.

The committee, made up of representatives from Otago's six local council authorities, police, NZTA and three other public service organisations, agreed to add the requests to an forthcoming round of contestable transport funding bids from around the country.

About $1.822 million of improvements to cater for heavy vehicles was requested by the NZTA for State Highway 1 from Edendale to Stirling to Oamaru to Clandeboye, as well as $3.473 million to upgrade SH6, SH7, and SH79 from Invercargill to Queenstown to Christchurch.

A report from ORC transport senior policy analyst Suzanne Watt notes how the NZTA expects Otago and Southland roads to carry an increasing amount of freight, creating a need to prioritise improvements to cater for heavy vehicles.

A draft regional land transport programme is being prepared by the committee to go out for public consultation.

The draft programme for Otago proposes $458 million expenditure from 2012-15 for transport projects across the region.

About $423 million of this figure qualifies for government subsidy, while the remaining $35 million is unsubsidised work planned by territorial local authorities. It is proposed that the NZTA will contribute a $300 million share of funding during the next three years.

About 71% of the draft subsidised works programme is allocated for roading maintenance and renewals of Otago's local roads, administered by councils, and state highways, administered by the NZTA.

The programme includes $24.9 million for public transport, 52% of which will be from the NZTA, Mrs Watt's report says.

 

 

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