Woodville gets preview of new Manawatū Gorge route

Wednesday, 25 July 2018

NZ Transport Agency traffic consultant Jo Healy discusses the map with Woodville residents Fiona Nesbit and Glenn McDean.

Residents of a town hit in the pocket by the closure of the Manawatū Gorge have given the proposed replacement route two thumbs up.

New Zealand Transport Agency is running information sessions in Tararua and Manawatū about progress on the Manawatū Gorge replacement route.

State Highway 3 through the gorge has been closed since April 2017 due to large landslips falling on the road.

The agency announced in March its preferred replacement, which would run between the gorge and the current de facto highway, the Saddle Rd, and should be built by 2024.

* Ashhurst may get traffic lights to handle Manawatū Gorge traffic

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Betty and Athol Sowry, from Valley Rd, Woodville, with the timeline information brochure from the meeting.

Agency highway manager Ross I'Anson said the initial corridor given in March was about 500 metres wide.

Samples of earth were taken along the corridor in May, giving the agency a better idea of where the road could go.

That helped the agency come up with the design shown off at the information sessions, although it may move slightly, I'Anson said.

'We are pretty confident it's able to be built there.'

The agency had a map of the proposed route on display in Woodville on Wednesday night, as well as a digitally produced flyover video of the route.

Meeting attendees view an animated fly-over video of the proposed route.

The video was only an indication of the route, but the map contained much more detail.

The route would use the existing bridge across the Manawatū River east of Ashhurst, before curving north and across the river via a newly built bridge and curving back to the east.

Various small side roads attached to the route would give access to wind farms, with at least one possibly requiring an underpass beneath the new route.

However, some wind farm access roads, such as one off the Saddle Rd, would have to be closed instead of linking to the new route.

Woodville residents Ian Cumming and Marty Lean discuss the new road map with NZ Transport Agency traffic consultant Jo Healy.

The route would the head south down the Tararua side of the ranges, before joining the route that used to take Manawatū Gorge traffic into Woodville.

Almost the entire route would have two lanes in each direction.

People who attended the information session in Woodville on Wednesday night were happy with the route.

Business owners in Woodville speak about the effect of the Manawatū Gorge highway closure on the town. (First published, July 2018)

John Gooding said he was more than happy with the proposal, as it would have long-term benefits for real estate and business.

'It seems like a pretty good quality route.'

Steve and Fiona Nesbit moved their business, Powerhouse Tattoos, from Palmerston North to Woodville after the gorge closed.

State Highway 3 through the Manawatū Gorge has been closed since slips fell on the road in 2017.

Fiona Nesbit said the proposed route was 'amazing'.

'I didn't expect it to be this tidy. It covers all the bases.'

Steve Nesbit said he was most impressed with how straight the proposed route was once it got onto the range.

'It's just like a highway.

'Having it so straight, compared to the Saddle Rd, is a major. It's a direct link [between Woodville and Palmerston North].'

The next information sessions will be at Palmerston North's Convention Centre on Thurdsay, Dannevirke Sports Centre on Tuesday, and the Pahīatua Town Hall on Wednesday, all running from 4pm until 8pm.

Sessions have already been held in Ashhurst about proposed changes to the town's traffic layout.

For more information on the sessions, and maps of the Ashhurst changes and Manawatū Gorge replacement route, see nzta.govt.nz/projects/sh3-manawatu-gorge.