Kia ora and welcome to the final update on the Tauriko for Tomorrow project.
With the rezoning of Tauriko West completed, this will be the last Tauriko for Tomorrow newsletter. But the journey is far from over, and works are full steam ahead in the Tauriko West area. To keep up to date with all the different projects underway, subscribe to the newsletters linked in our updates below.
In this final edition, we cover what’s next in the development of the new community at Tauriko West, as well as updates on key infrastructure and planning projects:
- The NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) Tauriko West and Ōmanawa Bridge replacement projects
- Progress on the Tauriko Enabling Works, with two construction milestones coming up
- Upcoming maintenance work on State Highway 29 (SH29) and an update on the Takitimu North Link Stage 1 project
- Planning for the future Keenan Road urban growth area
- An update on the Taurikura Drive upgrade
- And an invitation to an NZTA information day on everything Tauriko West (Sat 8 November).
We’ll wrap up with a look back on the Tauriko for Tomorrow project – thanks for your interest over the years.
Tauriko West new community: where to from here
With the planning rules now in place, development takes centre stage. Here’s an overview of what the area’s developers and Tauranga City Council will deliver in the new community over the next 10 years or so, guided by the agreed planning framework.
What developers will deliver:
- Housing – up to 2400 new homes in a first phase. The planning rules will enable the developers to deliver a variety of housing options (e.g. standalone houses, terraced houses)
- Up to three commercial areas: one local centre and up to two smaller neighbourhood centres for day-to-day shopping needs
- Internal infrastructure: the roads and water/wastewater pipes to service the new homes
- A Wairoa River Reserve celebrating the historic and cultural importance of the awa (river)
- Neighbourhood parks and other open space along the escarpments
- Walkways and cycleways creating connected, sustainable and healthy neighbourhoods.
What Tauranga City Council will deliver*:
- A community centre and library, providing meeting and events spaces alongside library and council services
- A destination playground, within or near the future Wairoa River Reserve
- Sports fields providing a much-needed venue for sports and recreation in the west of the city.
Transport links to Tauriko Business Estate, Tauranga Crossing, and the wider city are already being delivered through the SH29 Tauriko Enabling Works project.
In parallel, the Ministry of Education is working on opportunities to relocate and expand Tauriko School to support current and future communities’ needs, and considering options for a new high school in the growth area.
These future facilities, and any other public amenities council may look to develop as the community takes shape, will service not only the new community but also existing residents in the western parts of the city, like Pyes Pā and The Lakes, and beyond.
Tauranga City Council will work with the area’s developers to coordinate the delivery of the community facilities with housing developments, and to secure the necessary land.
* All community facilities are subject to funding being confirmed in future Long-Term Plan budgets.
Find out more
Sign up to Let’s Talk Tauranga e-newsletter for future updates on community facilities
Be in touch: info@tauranga.govt.nz
Tauriko Enabling Works
After 18 months of construction, the team has completed the majority of infrastructure upgrades in the Redwood Lane section of the Tauriko Enabling Works.
This includes upgraded underground services, environmental protections, the new SH29/Redwood Lane roundabout and pedestrian and cyclist underpass.
We are now preparing to open the fourth and final leg of the roundabout, the Kaweroa Drive connection.
This marks a major milestone in the project, with the extension of Kaweroa Drive providing a new connection to the Tauriko Business Estate.
Final line marking and finishing works will take place in October and November, with the new connection expected to be open following this.
The primary function of this connection is to support industrial and commercial traffic accessing businesses in the estate and to distribute traffic more evenly between SH29 and SH36.
All work in this section is on track to be completed by the end of the year, including the final road surface layer and line marking. This will see the roundabout open in its completed layout, with 2 lanes in each direction on SH29, and the Kaweroa Drive connection in action.
Meanwhile in the Tauriko Village section we’ve recently marked one year of construction. Crews got to work in Tauriko Village and along Cambridge Road in mid-September 2024 – fast forward to now and the progress is evident. The area has been transformed and the groundwork laid for future development, with a new intersection, road, and car park for the Tauriko School and Playcentre.
Find out more
Sign up to the project newsletter for regular updates.
Tauriko West Road of National Significance
NZTA has awarded the contract to protect the route and seek consents for the new Tauriko West SH29 highway and upgrades to State Highway 29A (SH29A) in Tauranga, a Road of National Significance (RoNS). This project is a key step to support economic growth, productivity and housing development, improving safety, and providing a more resilient roading network.
The work will enhance travel between Ōmanawa Road and the Port of Tauranga. The new SH29 will feature 4 lanes between the Redwood Lane interchange and the new Takitimu North Link Interchange, which is currently under construction. SH29A will also be widened to 4 lanes between the Takitimu Drive Toll Road roundabout and the new Barkes Corner Interchange.
To progress the next stage, NZTA have engaged BBO to support with the designation and consenting work needed to build the state highway. This includes identifying the land required, gaining statutory approvals (such as designation, resource consents, archaeological authorities and wildlife permits), undertaking technical and environmental assessments, relocating utilities and working with landowners.
NZTA plan to apply for the necessary approvals under the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 around mid-2026. NZTA expect to finish the route protection phase in 2028/29.
Map of the new SH29 route and SH29A upgrades.
To inform NZTA’s designation and consents applications, and the planning and design of the SH29/SH29A Tauriko West upgrades, a range of assessments and site investigations ahead of lodgement will be undertaken. These include testing the soil and ground strength, surveying vegetation, streams and checking out wildlife. Work is underway to confirm the type of technical assessments and field surveys required, with investigations are expected to start in October 2025.
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Ōmanawa Bridge construction to get underway
People travelling along SH29 will shortly see the first steps to build the new Ōmanawa Bridge getting underway.
The new bridge, the first phase in the SH29/SH29A Tauriko West RoNS project, will be built alongside the existing one, on an alignment that fits with the future design for Tauriko West.
In early September NZTA awarded the construction contract to HEB Construction Limited, and the team is now making a start on preparing the site for the work ahead.
Trees have been cleared and work is about to start on building access roads across the site to the where the new bridge will be built and by November main construction will be underway.
The new bridge will be higher to allow for flooding and stronger to cater for heavy trucks travelling to and from the Port of Tauranga. There will also be some minor changes made to the SH29/Ōmanawa Road intersection to make it safer.
Construction will be largely off-line during the initial stages of the project, with only minimal impacts for people using SH29. Drivers in the area can expect minor layout changes to the state highway and temporary speed restrictions near the existing bridge and on Ōmanawa Road so site access and off-line works can be managed safely.
The main access to the worksite will be from Ōmanawa Road, near the junction, which will be clearly signposted.
The Tauriko West RoNS project will improve the safety, resilience, and freight efficiency of SH29, a key route in the Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga triangle.
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New Taurikura Drive intersections now live
A key milestone in Tauranga City Council’s Taurikura Drive Upgrade project has been reached, with the two new signalised intersections near Tauranga Crossing made live on Monday 13 October. The upgraded layout includes traffic lights, additional lanes, and shared paths for walking and cycling – designed to improve safety and traffic flow in this fast-growing area.
The upgrade integrates with the future improvements along Whiore Avenue as part of the SH29 Tauriko Enabling Works.
While operational, the site remains under construction. Drivers and pedestrians are urged to take care and follow all signage as they adjust to the new layout. Most traffic management has now been removed from Taurikura Drive and the SH36 roundabout.
Landscaping and other finishing work will continue into next year, with minor traffic management in place on the side of the road.
The new surface uses Roller Compacted Concrete, a durable material that looks different but ensures a smooth ride and faster completion of construction.
Thank you for your continued patience and support.
Summer maintenance programme
SH29, from Tauriko to the summit of the Kaimai Range and over to Piarere, is a key corridor NZTA is focused on strengthening this summer maintenance season, so it remains safe, reliable and meets the needs of all road users.
Between now and May 2026, there are 5 sites on the Bay of Plenty side of the Kaimai Range where the road will be rebuilt and resurfaced.
The first site got underway in late September and involves a significant road rebuild of around 1.5 kilometres of SH29 near Valley View Road. Temporary traffic management will be in place on SH29, near Valley View Road until early 2026 while the various phases of rebuild are completed.
Once the work is finished, drivers can look forward to a safer, smoother drive along this stretch of SH29.
Tauriko West community information day
On Saturday 8 November 2025, between 11am and 2pm, NZTA will be hosting a Tauriko West community information day at Tauriko School. This will be an opportunity for the wider community to come and learn more about the route protection phase of the Tauriko West project, the SH29 Tauriko Enabling Works already underway, the SH29 Ōmanawa Bridge replacement, and other developments in the area.
Summer construction programme: Takitimu North Link Stage 1
Summer construction season is underway as the Takitimu North Link Stage 1 team enters its fifth year of progress.
Major works continue across key areas including SH2 Fifteenth Ave, SH29, and Minden Road in Te Puna.
At SH2 / Fifteenth Ave, construction of a 120-metre retaining wall and bridge connection to SH29 Takitimu Drive Toll Road is progressing, with columns complete and crossheads underway. One lane near Edgcumbe Road will remain closed until mid-2026.
At SH29, the flyover connecting Tauriko and Tauranga CBD is taking shape, with barriers installed and the southbound lane asphalted. The 363-metre bridge, new roundabout, and slip lane are expected to be completed by early 2027.
In the Minden / Te Puna area, the main structure of one of three bridges over Minden Gully is complete, enabling haul routes that keep construction traffic off SH2. Upgrades to Minden Road are in progress, and design refinements continue near Loop Road to connect Stage 1 and Stage 2.
Earthworks are wrapping up this summer, with 3 million cubic metres of material moved. Focus is shifting to drainage and pavement, with increased truck-and-trailer activity delivering aggregates.
The Oturu Culvert near Te Rangi tua nehe Minden is nearly complete and will manage stormwater from Oturu Stream tributaries.
At Smith’s Farm, bridge beams are in place and deck pouring is next, providing future access to housing. Drainage installation is also advancing, with over 50% of the 11km goal targeted this season.
Takitimu North Link is a Road of National Significance connecting Tauranga and Te Puna.
Sign up to the project newsletter for regular updates.
Planning for the next urban growth area: Keenan Road
Tauranga City Council is progressing structure planning for the future urban growth area at Keenan Road in nearby Pyes Pā (estimated 2500-3000 new homes capacity over the next 20-30 years). The technical investigations required to inform the structure plan – for stormwater management specifically – are proving complex. The proposed structure plan is now expected to be ready for community feedback late 2026. The public notification of a plan change (formal submissions) will follow, likely under the new legislation being developed by Government to replace the current Resource Management Act.
Find out more about the Keenan Road Urban Growth Area.
It’s a wrap!
The Tauriko for Tomorrow project started in 2017, when Western Bay of Plenty District Council (WBoPDC), Bay of Plenty Regional Council (BoPRC), Tauranga City Council (TCC) and NZTA set out to plan for the next large-scale urban development to support the growth of the western Bay of Plenty.
Over these years the partnership has worked alongside mana whenua, landowners and the community to look at how best to develop the new community, improve transport links and safety for all users, increase opportunities for public transport and active transport, protect freight routes to the Port of Tauranga, and open up the Tauriko West area for housing and urban development.
From the get-go, the vision for Tauriko West was to create a thriving community for locals to live, learn, work and play locally, with amenities such as schools, parks, cycle and walkways, access to shopping and community facilities, and safe transport connections.
Between 2018 and 2021, several steps were taken to prepare for the rezoning of Tauriko West. This included changing the urban limits line (led by BoPRC) and adjusting local government boundaries (led by WBoPDC). Working together with partners and the community, we planned both short-term and long-term improvements to the transport network (NZTA), progressed through rezoning and other planning processes, and developed plans for delivering three waters infrastructure (TCC).
Construction of the Tauriko Enabling Works, a programme of improvements to SH29, began in March 2024 and is progressing well. In March 2025, the structure planning and rezoning Tauriko West were completed with the adoption of the Tauriko West plan change. The recent granting of the comprehensive stormwater consent for the area marks the completion of the council-led planning for the new community.
With the rezoning of Tauriko West completed, the new planning rules will now guide the development of the community at Tauriko West. Together with the improvements to SH29 they enable the start of development of an initial 2400 new homes, with the first homes expected to be ready from 2027.
We will be retiring this e-newsletter, the project website www.taurikofortomorrow.co.nz and the email address info@taurikofortomorrow.co.nz at the end of November 2025.
Thanks for following the Tauriko for Tomorrow project all these years. NZTA and TCC will continue to share updates on the delivery of the roading upgrades and community facilities in and around the new community via their respective websites and other newsletters.