Rural Whakatāne communities, regular visitors, and those travelling around the district, are advised major works on the main western entrance to the district will be underway soon, bringing detours and interruptions to normal travel.

Renewal works to the pavement (underlying road structure) will begin on three sites within the Rangitāiki Plains area from Monday, 14 October 2024. The work will initially focus on a section of Thornton Road and a section of West Bank Road ‘North’. 

Both Thornton Road (between the intersection of West Bank / Thornton Beach Road and Greig Road), and West Bank Road ‘North’ (between Thornton Road and Greig Road) will be closed, with work targeted for completion by Friday, 13 December 2024, weather permitting.

The second portion of West Bank Road (West Bank ‘South’) will commence under a road closure in early January 2025 following the Christmas break, to be completed by April 2025, weather permitting. This section of West Bank Road will be closed between Gow Road and property number 504 West Bank Road. 

Team Leader Capital Projects, Dave Wathall says the pavement in these areas has reached the end of its life and is currently incurring high maintenance costs.

“Roads deteriorate over time and the existing pavement at all three sites is in poor condition with significant cracking and defects.” Dave continues, “These works will improve the overall standard and safety of the Whakatāne District roading network, while reducing the burden of on-going costs associated with patch up work in these areas.”

Mr Wathall says a new nation-wide risk-based approach to traffic management will be applied to the project, meaning the roads will close during the works, reducing costs and improving worker safety. 

“We appreciate the disruption road closures cause, however completing these works under a full road closure, as opposed to stop/go, or temporary traffic lights, reduces resources and construction time, while ensuring a safer working environment, with the added benefit of reducing the length of disruptions for road users.”

It is estimated that the road closures will achieve an overall project cost saving of between 10%-15%, and a time saving of up to 20%.

Mr Wathall says short detours will be in place to ensure safety and efficiency throughout the works. 

“Motorists entering Whakatāne District from the west (Matatā / Tauranga) will be detoured via SH2 between Matatā and Awakeri, and SH30 between Awakeri and Whakatāne.”

Greig Road may also be used as a detour, however due to the narrowness of the road, there will be a reduced speed limit in place. Thornton Beach Road residents will be detoured via East Bank Road to access Edgecumbe and SH2.

“These detours will lead to additional traffic making use of the state highway network and there may be approximately five minutes added to your usual travel time.”

Access on the closed roads will be maintained at all times for residents, emergencies, businesses located within the site and school buses.

“We encourage everyone to stay up to date with detour information, plan ahead for this, consider carpooling where possible, and allow more time to get to where you need to be.”

The works are approved under the current LTP budget. For more information, including a list of Frequently Asked Questions, please see www.whakatane.govt.nz/thorntonwestbankrenewal  

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Detours:

• Motorists travelling along Thornton Road, going in a westerly direction, are to turn off at East Bank Road and travel to SH2, then Edgecumbe, making their way to their planned destination.
• Motorists travelling along Thornton Road, going in an easterly direction, are to turn off at Greig Road and travel to West Bank Road, then Edgecumbe, making their way to their planned destination.
• Motorists travelling from Whakatāne to Tauranga are to make use of SH30 and SH2.
• Motorists travelling from Tauranga to Whakatāne are to make use of SH2 and SH30.