8. DAVID BENNETT (National—Hamilton East) Link to this
to the Minister of Transport
What further progress has been made on the Waikato Expressway road of national significance?
Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister of Transport) Link to this
The New Zealand Transport Agency board has announced that it has approved funding for the $169 million Ngāruawāhia section of the Waikato Expressway. It marks another big step forward in developing this particular road of national significance. The construction contract is now out to tender and is likely to be awarded in April of next year. Construction is likely to begin in 12 months, and will take 3 years.
Construction of the Ngāruawāhia section will add another 10 kilometres to the expressway, and will create up to 300 jobs directly, with many more jobs in downstream industries. Construction will get under way later next year, meaning that three sections of the Waikato Expressway will be under way next year: Te Rapa, Rangiriri, and Ngāruawāhia. This is excellent progress towards National’s challenging pre-election commitment to improve the Waikato economy by completing the road within 10 years.
Hon Darren Hughes Link to this
By what percentage was the benefit-cost ratio of this project increased when the new tool known as wider economic benefits was added to the analysis?