Another milestone was achieved in Tauranga's spectacular growth this week with the opening to the public of the second harbour bridge.

The flyover leading to the new bridge will be open before Christmas.
Contractor Fletcher Construction has done an excellent job for the government/taxpayer funded Transport Agency who was responsible for the project. Thanks to Winston Peters' political manoeuvring, which transferred funding from ratepayers to taxpayers where the financial obligation really lay. This bridge complex is critical to NZ with Tauranga as the country's number one port. Had this not happened, council would have incurred the cost/debt, and the financial consequences for ratepayers would have been dire – those councillors who last week declined to support the government proposal to toll the proposed new eastern motorway from Papamoa to Paengaroa would really have cause to complain, because this would have been a toll road with no real free alternative route. From the consultative process for the Eastern Link, 96 per cent of respondents favour tolling the new route.

Balancing city traffic
On a glorious Sunday, thousands took the opportunity to walk across the new bridge. Afterwards the old bridge was closed to allow work to proceed on alterations to its traffic flow and traffic was directed both ways on the new bridge. Once complete, traffic will go to the Mount via the new bridge and to Tauranga on the old. A monumental traffic jam on Monday as the on-ramp failed completely to handle the morning rush. Levers Road, Otumoetai Road, Grange Road all jammed, almost to a standstill, highlights what a knife edge the city's traffic system balances on. One glitch and we grind to a halt. Imagine trying to evacuate the city quickly in time of emergency. Most would probably be better off staying home with a cup of tea!
At transportation taskforce committee, elected members heard from the Bethlehem community objecting to four laning the road through Bethlehem between two shopping centres. I must say they presented a compelling case. It's State Highway so it's ‘The Agency's' call (don't you just love that title). Eventually the Northern Arterial will bypass Bethlehem with a new bridge south of the Wairoa Bridge nearby, where the original Wairoa Bridge was. Arguments against four laning were that it would only move the problem down to the Wairoa Bridge – just like the Hairini problem. And it would be silly to widen the Wairoa Bridge when forward planning includes a new bridge. The sensible answer is to do with this road what is proposed with the Eastern Link; toll it – Private/Public partnership if you like. Had the Tauranga City Council not pioneered tolling, our city would now be regularly gridlocked. Imagine either no harbour bridge, or it had been built 10 years late. No Route K. Had the city not built this road when it did the land would now not be available for this network.

Speed limit support
For those with short memories remember how Cameron Road was jammed up before Route K/Route P/Route J were there. We're getting back to those days now. Action is needed and the niceties of the lofty principles of the rights and wrongs of tolls will be lost on a gridlocked city port and local economy.
Council staff will again consider the issue of speed on Moffat Road and in an unusual twist, historically police haven't supported a speed reduction. But now staff opinion is for a 60kph limit along Moffat Road from Orange Lane to Cambridge Road and police will support that. Also, in the mix will be yet another investigation to stop Port of Tauranga bound heavy traffic using this route. They do it at Ohope where heavy traffic is prohibited from going over the hill. Sure it's not a major port but the principle is there and if we are to have ‘one fits all' rules then it could/should apply to Moffat Road and Cambridge Road link; shouldn't it?

TISEC tenders
The Pyes Pa Bypass off Kennedy Road, through The Lakes and onto Route K is to proceed with completion planned for May 2011. Council's share of Stage 3 is $8 million, of which 53 per cent is NZTA, ‘The Agency', funded.
At projects and services committee, staff showed a 3D perspective on the new Indoor Sports and Exhibition Centre, which is going out for tender. This computerised presentation was the Home Show and reaction was significantly favourable according to staff. Timing as far as the financials are concerned couldn't be worse but we do expect a competitive price. In hindsight council shouldn't have gone into the lease deal at the Mount Action Centre; short term gain for long term pain.

Money for bowlers
Elected members questioned what would happen to the Mount Greens Bowling facility to be built on Totara Street if the clubs failed to raise their required $300,000. They have $100,000 on hand at the moment it was reported. Staff replied that the project would go ahead but the full amenity would not be completed until they came up with the money; Sort of like buying a car without tyres? As I've said before, if this project hadn't come up when it did it would never have got the big tick now. Hindsight, yet again, is a wonderful thing but council is contractually obligated to proceed.

Remembering Sir Bob
I attended a function to commemorate the 10th year of the passing of Sir Bob Owens, hosted by his son Doug. Very nostalgic and a gathering of characters who surrounded Sir Bob and helped him build his companies, the port and the city.
A former mayor and dual Mayor of Mount Maunganui and Tauranga, he left his mark on the city as a colourful character and benefactor. His wife Joy is also a great benefactor to the city and the family have announced a presentation to the city of an art work, most likely in the form of sculpture.
The propeller of the tug Taioma, which Sir Bob funded and is now a dive reef attraction, is being relocated from the RSA to Sulphur Point looking out to the Mount where the statue of Tangaroa, also funded by Sir Bob, overlooks mariners as they come and go through the entrance to the harbour.