Ōmokoroa Road Stage 2 Urbanisation Project begins

Improving accessibility, safe walking and cycling connections and increasing road capacity – it’s all part of the plan for Ōmokoroa Road.

From Thursday 27 February, work will begin on stage two of the Ōmokoroa Road urbanisation project from Prole Road to the railway line near Goldstone Road, a distance of just over 1km.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s Infrastructure Growth and Delivery Manager Annelie Badenhorst says this upgrade is an important step in improving infrastructure to an urban standard that will support future growth on the peninsula.

“Part of the project is upgrading the current two-lane road to four lanes - but we’re not just widening the road - we’re creating safer, more accessible transport options for our community,” Annelie says.

“Ōmokoroa’s population is growing rapidly, with an estimated 13,000 people to be living on the peninsula by 2050, so it's essential that our infrastructure allows this growth to continue.”

Last week a site blessing was held to mark the start of the project's construction. Maali Murphy, representing Pirirakau hapū lead the blessing, with Higgins contractors and Council’s project team in attendance.

The $13 million project is part-funded by the Crown Infrastructure Partners (CIP) Fund’s bundle of ‘shovel ready’ projects allocated for Ōmokoroa.

Key project upgrades include:

• Widening the current two-lane road to four lanes
• Shared cycling and walking pathways
• Upgrading the Ōmokoroa Road/Flounder Drive intersection
• Signalised pedestrian crossings
• Connections for future amenities
• Improvements to water mains
• Relocating utilities

Higgins Contractors will be carrying out the construction on behalf of Council.

“We’re pleased to have Higgins on board as they have good local knowledge of the Ōmokoroa area and are currently working on the Prole Road project adjacent to this site,” Annelie adds.

Construction is expected to be completed by mid-2026.

How will the works affect the community?

There will be some disruption to road users during construction. Temporary traffic management will be in place on Ōmokoroa Road from the Prole Road intersection to the railway bridge. This will include lane shifts and contraflow to maintain traffic flow in both directions, with a reduced speed limit of 30 km/h to ensure the safety of the community and our teams. Through the narrower sections, stop/go controls may be used.

To enable construction works across Flounder Drive, the intersection of Ōmokoroa Road and Flounder Drive will be closed for a period of the works. A detour will be in place via Ōmokoroa Road, Ridge Drive, and Stingray Drive.

For nearby residents and businesses - our teams will strive to keep noise and vibration to a minimum.

Background

This project marks the next phase in the urbanisation of Ōmokoroa Road, following the completion of Stage 1 of the Ōmokoroa Road upgrade – spanning from Western Avenue to Tralee Street – by the Council in 2022. Prole Road is also undergoing upgrades to meet urban standards, with construction currently underway and expected to be completed in April 2025.

For more information and project updates, head to yourplace.westernbay.govt.nz/omokoroa-road-stage-2-urbanisation