The Wairarapa group Remutaka Road Action Group (RRAG) has launched a campaign for a toll road to be built through the Remutaka ranges.

The main point for a new road being built is Wairarapa’s resilience. The Remutaka Hill Road is Wairarapa’s only direct link with Wellington, and it is one of the most dangerous roads in the country when it comes to accidents. There have been 382 crashes between 2014 and 2023, five were fatal. It’s also subject to frequent maintenance and repairs. When it comes to economic resilience, if a slip or natural disaster closed the road for 12 months, it has been estimated (very conservatively) that Wairarapa would lose $300 million dollars of GDP.

As well as lobbying for the road to be recognised as one of national significance, they’ve identified three alternative routes either over, through, or around the Remutaka summit. The three routes can be seen on the map below.

The tunnel option is the most expensive at an estimated cost of $1.4 billion. The northern most option, though it follows a different route entirely from the current road, “is actually quite viable” according to Simon Casey, the group’s spokeperson and former ACT candidate. He does admit that it would take Featherston out of the route and this would have pros and cons, but he says that many towns don’t want a state highway bisecting their town. So he thinks Featherston could see this different route as benefit.

Opinions

When it comes to opinions on the road proposals, Upper Hutt mayor Wayne Guppy has given his support, as has Bruce McCallum, chairperson of Booth Logistics – a Christchuch firm that has branches in Wellington, Lower Hutt, and Masterton.

Local list MP, Kieran McAnulty is “100% behind” getting the road recognised as a vital link, and commends RRAG’s call for a review into it’s long-term sustainability.

National MP for the region, Mike Butterick is open to “all options for a safe and reliable network which allows the people and freight to get to and from the Wairarapa”.

Local Green Party list MP Celia Wade-Brown would prefer the money be spent on improvements to State Highway 2 instead of on a new road, in respect of the environmental impacts.

Source: The Post

09/11/24