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Highway classification decision disappointing

Friday 22 July 2011, 8:11AM

By Otago Regional Council

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OTAGO

Otago Regional Council (ORC) chairman Stephen Woodhead says the council is disappointed at the New Zealand Transport Agency’s refusal to include the Dunedin-Invercargill highway in the national strategic roading network.

ORC had pushed, in a submission on a draft NZTA highway classification proposal, for greater recognition of State Highway 1 between the two southern cities.

“Given that the highway is the primary route for freight traffic travelling from Southland and South Otago to Port Otago; is a conduit for freight movements to and from South Port, Bluff; as well as being a significant tourist route, the NZTA designation is inadequate for the future,” Cr Woodhead said.

NZTA has been establishing agreed service levels for each category of road, which in turn affects funding for maintenance and improvements on individual highways.

The agency has decided not to change the highway’s current designation as a regional strategic route, which will have some bearing on the funding for future improvements to the highway.

“It is disappointing that NZTA has not seen fit to recognise the significance of the Dunedin-Invercargill route for the national roading network, given its vital importance to not only the Otago and Southland economies, but the national economy,” Cr Woodhead said.

“Since NZTA is using this process to provide direction for managing the state highway network during the next 30 years, I would hope it is not too late for them to reconsider the strategic value and status of this vital southern roading link,” he said.