Site blessing paves way for Omokoroa Road upgrade
Pirirakau hapū kaumatua Tame Kuku centre left and Mayor Garry Webber turned the first sod, along with J Swap Contract Manager Shanan Mowatt (left by Tame Kuka) and the Swap construction crew, Western Bay councillors and staff and project consultants.
A blessing and sod turning in Omokoroa this morning heralded the start of construction of the Omokoroa Road urbanisation, from Western Avenue to Tralee Street.
Pirirakau hapū kaumatua Tame Kuka blessed the site before turning the first sod with Western Bay Mayor Garry Webber to signify today’s start of construction.
The special moment was attended by J Swap Limited contract director Shanan Mowatt and a large team of construction workers, Western Bay councillors and staff, Piririkau representatives and project consultants.
The Omokoroa Road Urbanisation (Western to Tralee) is the first of the five projects planned to be completed in Omokoroa over the next two years. The total projects are estimated to cost $50 million of which $14 million is co-funded through the Government's Shovel Ready Infrastructure Programme.
Mayor Garry says project is expected to be delivered over the 2020/2022 construction seasons, with completion estimated to be by June 2022.
“We are pleased to have J Swap Contractors doing the work as they have come to know the Omokoroa community from previous contracts – and the community also has a high level of comfort with the Swap team,” says Garry.
“We ask the community to be patient during the construction phase – there will be disruption to traffic flows – but the entire project will be carefully managed to keep impacts to a minimum.”
Work will include upgrading Omokoroa Road from Western Avenue to Tralee Street to an urbanised standard complete with kerbing, footpath/cycle path, lighting, drainage, utility services and landscaping.
There will be roundabouts at Tralee Street and at McKenna Lane, plus improved entrances to Fresh Choice supermarket and the commercial shopping area. Utilities services will be partially undergrounded.
The $8.2 million project is funded by Council $2.63m, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency $3.87 and CIP $1.7m - as part of Central Government’s stimulus package.
The project is part of a series of Council infrastructure developments across the Omokoroa Peninsula to cater for subdivision and population growth through to 2022.
Combined, these projects are the result of sound planning work and reflect the spatial planning that will support all land use development in Omokoroa in years to come. Council estimates that by 2060, the Omokoroa Peninsula will be fully developed and home to an estimated 12,000 residents.
