The Tauranga Eastern Link (TEL) is a four lane motorway in the
Bay of Plenty
The Bay of Plenty ( mi, Te Moana-a-Toi) is a region of New Zealand, situated around a bight of the same name in the northern coast of the North Island. The bight stretches 260 km from the Coromandel Peninsula in the west to Cape Runaw ...
region in New Zealand, covering 23 km from Te Maunga junction in
Tauranga
Tauranga () is a coastal city in the Bay of Plenty region and the fifth most populous city of New Zealand, with an urban population of , or roughly 3% of the national population. It was settled by Māori late in the 13th century, colonised by ...
to
Paengaroa. It was officially opened on 30 July 2015. It replaced a section of , improving access to Tauranga from the east (
Te Puke
Te Puke is a town located 18 kilometres southeast of Tauranga in the Western Bay of Plenty of New Zealand. It is particularly well-known for the cultivation of Kiwifruit.
Te Puke is close to Tauranga, Mount Maunganui, Papamoa, and Maketu, whi ...
,
Whakatane,
Opotiki,
Gisborne) and south (
Rotorua
Rotorua () is a city in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand's North Island. The city lies on the southern shores of Lake Rotorua, from which it takes its name. It is the seat of the Rotorua Lakes District, a territorial authority encompa ...
and
Taupo). It became the main route for trucks heading to the
Port of Tauranga
The Port of Tauranga is situated in Tauranga, New Zealand. It is the largest port in the country both in terms of total cargo volume, and in terms of container throughput with container volumes exceeding 1.2 million TEUs (Twenty Foot Equival ...
from Rotorua and the eastern Bay of Plenty, and connected the Central Plateau forestry industry with the port to facilitate lumber export.
Design
The Tauranga Eastern Link is a four lane, dual carriageway, providing a safer and more direct route between Tauranga to Paengaroa.
* Central median barrier.
* New intersections for Sandhurst Drive, Domain Road and Paengaroa junction (/).
* New overbridge for Parton and underpass for Maketu Roads.
* Urban design incorporating extensive landscaping.
* Electronic free-flow tolling system.
Objectives
* Support the managed growth for the area;
* Improve efficiency and contribute to economic development through improved travel time;
* Provide a more direct route to the Port of Tauranga;
* Provide a safer route between Tauranga and Paengaroa.
Construction of the Tauranga Eastern Link officially started on 19 November 2010 and was due for completion in 2016, however construction ran six months ahead of schedule and the project was officially opened in late July 2015.
Tolling received significant community support (92% both conditional and unconditional) and as a result the NZTA submitted a tolling proposal to the Cabinet who approved it.
Route
The Tauranga Eastern Link begins at the Te Maunga Roundabout in
Tauranga
Tauranga () is a coastal city in the Bay of Plenty region and the fifth most populous city of New Zealand, with an urban population of , or roughly 3% of the national population. It was settled by Māori late in the 13th century, colonised by ...
and follows the route of the existing to Domain Road, with junctions at Sandhurst Road /Mangatawa Road and Domain Road/Tara Road. The route then runs across rural land, parallel to Tara Road, before crossing Parton Road and running along the sandhills to the Kaituna River. At this point the highway crosses the river on a bridge and runs past the Kaituna Wildlife Management Reserve. It then heads south east across dairy farms and orchards before crossing the railway line and terminating at a roundabout, intersecting , north of Paengaroa.
Since official opening in August 2015, the Tauranga Eastern Link has been a tolled highway.
In December 2017 it became one of the first two sections of highway in New Zealand to be given a speed limit of 110 km/h.
Exit list
References
External links
Tauranga Eastern Link - Official Project Website
{{New Zealand motorway list
Motorways in New Zealand
Tauranga
Transport in the Bay of Plenty Region