Learn about Whakatu project

A series of meetings begin tonight outlining the Whakatu arterial road project but it’s unclear whether maps showing the preferred route option will be on display for the public to see for the first time.

The new road aimed to help promote Whakatu as a freight distribution centre, providing it with a direct route from State Highway 2, on to an upgraded Pakowhai Rd, the Hawke’s Bay Expressway and eventually through to the Port of Napier.

The project was among roading initiatives at the top of the Hawke’s Bay Regional Land Transport Strategy over the next three years which will cost $35 million in total, with $24 million coming from the New Zealand Transport Agency and the rest from the Napier City Council and Hastings District Council.

The Hastings council is heading the Whakatu road project and will hold a meeting at the Whakatu Community Hall tonight as a chance for the public to have their say on work to date on a preferred route.

Two more meetings will be held this week, one at the Hawke’s Bay Opera House conference room tomorrow and a third at Kohupatiki Marae, on Farndon Rd, on Wednesday.

The council set up a design group to define the best route from State Highway 2, through Whakatu and across to Pakowhai Rd. The group had met five times and proposed some options for the new road which were to be reported to the council.

After they’ve been discussed at public meetings a final design would be lodged and opened to public submissions. Physical work on the project was not expected to begin until 2014.

The transport strategy said freight distribution centres were being promoted around New Zealand and internationally, and Whakatu was the preferred site in Hawke’s Bay.

It was where the Port of Napier owned land, and was close to exporters such as Heinz-Watties, packhouses and large coolstore operations. The Whakatu industrial area was earmarked for further growth, especially ‘‘wet industry’’ which provided facilities for food producers to set up.

It was also close to the rail network.

‘‘As freight volumes grow, to the port in particular, it would help us manage the number of road- based freight movements in the future,’’ the strategy said.