Congestion will hurt economy
regional relationship director Parekawhia McLean presented a quarterly report to the committee which shows a 4 per cent rise in traffic volumes on the state highway network in the three months to August 2016.
Emphasis is on the movement of freight. But ThamesCoromandel District Council’s Rex Simpson said those figures must capture tourism as well.
‘‘We’ve just got huge numbers or people coming into the Coromandel Peninsula - 250,000 people going to Hahei each year,’’ Simpson said.
Waikato District Council’s Dynes Fulton said the Horsham Downs south-facing ramps need to be integrated into the expressway design to aid connection from development in the north of the city.
Macpherson threw his weight behind Fulton’s call, saying Hamilton’s council is strongly in favour of the ramps being built at the same time as the rest of the expressway.