TRANSIT NEW ZEALAND
WELLINGTON REGIONAL OFFICE

MEDIA RELEASE
12 October 2006

Funding approved for investigation of Transmission Gully Motorway (TGM)

Transit New Zealand welcomes the announcement made by Land Transport New Zealand today, that the funding to progress Stage 1 Investigation for Transmission Gully Motorway (TGM), has been approved.

Transit New Zealand sought funding from Land Transport New Zealand for $9.2 million, following the inclusion of TGM in Transit's State Highway Forecast.

Transit New Zealand chief executive Rick van Barneveld said the approval of funding for this initial stage was great news although it was important to recognise that the TGM project is still in its early stages of development.

"Investigation will start immediately with the first of the professional service contracts put out to tender within the next two weeks.

"This stage will include safety audit work, geotechnical investigations, detailed traffic modelling, ongoing risk management, refining of costs and completion of a scheme assessment for the project.

"Transit will continue to work with the regional and territorial authorities to consider the scope of the project including looking at the connections to state highways and the local arterial road network and how the new road may be constructed. That is, bridges and/or major earthworks."

"We will also continue to work with those authorities to develop a possible funding plan,"

This first stage of the investigation work is expected to be completed by the end of 2007.

ENDS

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