The Horowhenua community says it has been “blindsided” and left “absolutely gutted” after a planned expressway interchange in Levin was scaled back to a roundabout to cut costs.
The Ōtaki to north of Levin highway was originally set to feature a four-lane highway with a major interchange to manage traffic in and out of Levin. That design has since been replaced with a roundabout, sparking anger and concern from local leaders and businesses.
Horowhenua District Mayor Bernie Wanden said the downgrade had left people “very disappointed, and a little frustrated”.
“We’ve been waiting over 10 years for this project to begin, I don’t think it’s our fault that we’ve had to wait so long. So the delays obviously have pushed the price up but I don’t think we should be the ones to suffer because of that.”
Emma Clarke, director of Woodhaven Gardens, which transported fresh vegetables nationwide, said the downgrade was “short-sighted” and “gutting” for the region.
“Horowhenua is an absolute growth region and for us having that four-lane highway, a proper interchange means that we wouldn’t have the congestion we have now going through Ōtaki as you drive through Levin.”
Clarke said she felt the Government “needed to intervene quickly”.
“You may find this will have a big impact at the next election if it doesn’t go ahead as it should.”
Horowhenua NZ Trust chairperson Antony Young said the plan would make things worse than the original design.
“With this roundabout coming in, that’s going to cause a real chokepoint in this area, and I think that does have safety concerns that we’re worried about.”
He said the introduction of road tolling had inflamed tensions.
“This is a user’s pays road, the users that are paying for the road aren’t getting what they need, and in fact are up in arms.”
A spokesperson for the Transport Minister referred questions about the changes to NZTA.
NZTA acknowledged the changes affected 20% of the project but said all options were considered before proceeding with cost reductions.
Construction was expected to begin within four months, with completion scheduled for 2029.
