The trial reopening of the Hairini Street slip lane onto Turret Road to general traffic has been extended until construction of the Fifteenth Avenue to Welcome Bay upgrade gets underway, currently scheduled for mid-2027.

Tauranga City Council’s City Delivery Committee approved the extension this week after a trial reopening of the slip lane showed it had received positive feedback and was being well used by Hairini residents. The volume of traffic using the slip lane has increased by about 300 vehicles per day since it was reopened, with about 200 of those from the immediate Hairini community.

The trial was initially proposed from 20 October 2025 to 20 January 2026 and was later extended to March 2026 to await further decision-making.

The reopening of the slip lane improves access to routes out of the community for Ngāi te Ahi hapū and Hairini residents. It was closed to general traffic and reserved for buses only in 2018 based on safety concerns and operational efficiency.

Funding for further design work on the Fifteenth Avenue to Welcome Bay project has been approved. If it goes ahead, construction works, and changes to the roading layout may impact on whether the slip lane can be reopened permanently.

The only exception to the slip lane opening time is 6.30am-9.30am, Monday to Friday when it is open to buses only for safety reasons. A $150 fine may be issued if the slip lane is used during this time.

For more information about the slip lane trial visit letstalk.tauranga.govt.nz/sliplanetrial

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