11 January 2011

The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) advises that access to Mangatawa Lane from State Highway 2, just east of Te Maunga roundabout at Mount Maunganui, will permanently close from today, Tuesday 11 January.

Access to Mangatawa is now via the newly-extended Truman Lane from the Te Maunga roundabout.

Andrew Scott, the NZTA’s Tauranga Eastern Link Principal Project Manager says the west-bound lane of traffic on State Highway 2 has been moved onto the road shoulder while the traffic island from the old Mangatawa intersection is removed. This should be completed by the end of the week.

Mr Scott says the closure of the Mangatawa Lane highway access is part of the Truman Lane extension project, one of six support projects for the Tauranga Eastern Link.

“It’s an important step to prepare for the future widening of State Highway 2 from Te Maunga to Domain Road and provides a safer driving environment for local residents because they no longer have to contend with state highway traffic to access their homes,” Mr Scott said.

Construction is now underway on the $455M four-lane Tauranga Eastern Link. It will run from Te Maunga (near Baypark Stadium) in Tauranga to the existing junction of State Highways 2 and 33 (the Rotorua and Whakatane highways) near Paengaroa. It will be made up of 17km of new road and an upgrade of six kilometres of existing highway.

Keep up-to-date with developments at www.nzta.govt.nz/tel

ENDS

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