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Date: 15 December 2009

Mayor Brash Applaudes Transmission Gully Decision

Porirua Mayor Jenny Brash is delighted that the Government has committed funding to building Transmission Gully Motorway as the long term sustainable motorway for SH1 and says she is looking forward to seeing work start soon.

"I'm delighted this Government has had the courage to do the right thing. Transmission Gully provides better community and environmental outcomes while also delivering a safe four-lane route for the region. We've been waiting for decades for this announcement to be made and it's wonderful that is has now been confirmed. The Wellington Northern Corridor from Levin to Wellington Airport is long overdue and needs to be the priority roading project for the Wellington region – indeed for the whole country."

Mayor Brash says independent traffic modelling shows that SH1 between Kapiti Coast and Wellington will be at choking point by 2016.

"The section of SH1 between Mungavin Interchange and Paekakariki is already extremely busy and getting worse. Construction of Transmission Gully Motorway will reduce traffic on Grays Road next to the Pauatahanui Inlet. Motorists using Grays Road as an east/west connection to SH 58 and the Hutt Valley have put pressure on a local road that is not designed for high volumes of, often speeding, traffic. The results have been serious accidents and death."

She says Transmission Gully allows the existing state highway corridor to be become a safer local road that can also provide an alternative route in the event that there are delays or accidents on Transmission Gully.

"We were hopeful when the corridor became a Route of National Significance (RoNS) that this day would arrive. It's great to see the Minister making a sustainable roading decision that will serve SH1 for the next 100 years and more."

Mayor Brash said that this decision helps secure the future economic vitality of the Wellington region by providing a sustainable transport infrastructure that will support economic growth for many decades. It also has huge environmental and social benefits.

ENDS

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