![Mt Messenger bypass]()
Mt Messenger bypass Project
Mt Messenger bypass ProjectGreat journeys connect people and places. They allow us to move goods and services safely and efficiently.
Improvements to the Mt Messenger route on State Highway 3 (SH3) are underway to deliver better road safety, resilience and journey experience. Our team is investigating and designing options with a preferred option to be announced over the next few months. A consents process will follow and construction is expected to occur during 2018–2020.
The existing route rises to a height of 185m above sea level as it crosses Mt Messenger on a winding route and includes a short two-lane tunnel near the summit.
Most of the mountain is covered with indigenous forest and parts of the land are protected by a conservation covenant.
Why are improvements needed?
The existing route travels through rough terrain – narrow in places and prone to rockfalls and slips. The corners are windy as vehicles near the tunnel, making the road unsafe and vulnerable to crashes.
The Mt Messenger improvements along with the Awakino Tunnel bypass and further SH3 safety and resilience improvements, will significantly enhance road safety, reliability and driver experience.
A better highway that connects Taranaki and the Waikato will potentially boost economic activity in the region. It will support the region’s growing tourism appeal, the primary production and processing industries and those related to the oil and gas sector.
Who we are
The Mt Messenger Alliance brings together the NZ Transport Agency, Downer, HEB Construction, Tonkin & Taylor, Opus International Ltd, Holmes Consulting and Isthmus.
Collectively we bring national and international experience in infrastructure development.
Our team is made up of transport designers, engineers with geometric, geotechnical, structural and construction expertise, RMA planners and environmental specialists including ecologists, landscape architects and stakeholder and communication professionals.
Our work
Earlier this year we carried out a consultation to gauge the views of the public and other stakeholders about three route options for Mt Messenger. Community participation was high and while feedback strongly supported one of the bypass routes, concerns about its environmental and cultural impacts were raised.
Estimated project cost | Funding source | Construction |
$80–90 million | Government’s Accelerated Regional Roading Programme | 2018 to 2020 |
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What’s happening now?
We’re continuing to investigate options for improving the Mt Messenger route and this involves thinking creatively about ways to build solutions that might help to minimise environmental and cultural impacts.
More of what we’re doing is shown below:
