Funding for the maintenance of Otago and Southland roads will increase by $10.8 million, to more than $90 million, in the final round of annual National Land Transport Programme funding.
Announced last night, the programme forecast expenditure of $134.8 million for the Otago and Southland regions in 2008-09, from a national allocation of $2.7 billion.
Of that, $93.8 million had been allocated for maintenance of the two provinces' roads ($49.3 million for local roads and $44.5 million for state highways), which was $10.8 million more than the 2007-08 allocation.
The programme listed rapid growth in the Queenstown Lakes District as putting pressure on the area's transport system, a predicted sharp increase in tourist traffic in Southland during the next decade and two new dairy processing plants opening in the region, as challenges for the two regions.
Nearly $14 million would be spent on improvements.
Projects being considered including seal extension works on Karoro Creek Rd and Ahuriri Rd in the Clutha District to provide access to Nugget Point ($1.69 million), structural renewal of the Tiwai bridge near Invercargill ($11.5 million) and construction of passing lanes south of Waihola and between Balclutha and Clinton.
Strategic transport studies were planned for State Highway 1 from Oamaru to Dunedin and Dunedin to Clinton.
Passenger transport had been allocated $4.7 million to support the improvement of Dunedin's bus services and a detailed plan for the improvement of passenger transport services and facilities in the Wakatipu Basin.
Another $13.26 million had been allocated for road policing in Otago and $6.67 million in the Southland region.
From 2009-10, the programme will change to a three-year funding cycle allocated by the newly formed New Zealand Land Transport Agency.
