The media release below was issued by the NZ Transport Agency.

The NZ Transport Agency says an event held this morning at Taneatua marked the completion of the State Highway 2 realignment project.

Attending the completion of works morning tea were Whakatāne District Council Mayor Tony Bonne, Tāneatua Ward Councillor Andrew Iles and local iwi elders from Tuhoe, says the Transport Agency.

The works to realign a section of State Highway 2 (SH2) near Taneatua Road started in November last year and involved removing the Tāneatua Rail Over Bridge, upgrading a temporary road (that had been in used since early last year) around the Tāneatua Rail Over Bridge, and upgrading the SH2 and Tāneatua Road intersection.

The SH2 and Tāneatua Road intersection was realigned around the Tāneatua Squash courts, and the intersection was widened to improve safety at this location by providing greater site distances for drivers.

Mr Brett Gliddon, the NZ Transport Agency’s Highways Manager, says improving safety and the movement of heavy vehicles along this section of road are some of the benefits this project will offer to the local community and the wider Eastern Bay of Plenty region.

“State Highway 2 is an important local connecting road between Tāneatua, Whakatāne, Ōpōtiki and the central Bay of Plenty, and it is also a key freight route to ports and markets.”

”This new section of road will help to maintain route security as the old rail over bridge was no longer suitable for vehicles to use.”