Tarsealing of Tāngarākau Gorge marks end of an era
New Zealand’s Historic Shift: The End of Metal Roads on State Highways
Published Date: October 1, 2023
The end of an era for New Zealand’s land transport has arrived, as the last stretch of metal road in the country’s State Highway network has been fully tarsealed. Contractors are currently putting the final touches on 12 kilometers of tarseal through the remote Tāngarākau Gorge on State Highway 43 in East Taranaki, marking a significant milestone in the nation’s infrastructure.
State Highway 43, known as the Forgotten World Highway, connects Taumarunui in the King Country to Stratford in Taranaki. This winding 93-mile route passes through rugged terrain, climbs three saddles, and includes the Moki Tunnel, affectionately dubbed the “Hobbit’s Hole.”
John Herlihy, president of the self-proclaimed Whangamōmona Republic, initially opposed the sealing of the road. He said, It was one of the only unsealed highways in New Zealand and it’s a bit iconic, and it’s only 11 kilometers, if it was 50 or 60 I would’ve said fire ahead.
However, his perspective has shifted. Herlihy now appreciates the new road, noting that the boys have done a real good job and it’s lovely and smooth and all the tourists love it now. Some of them are scared of metal roads. They shouldn’t be, but they are.
Herlihy’s main concern now is the potential for speeding. He cautioned, As long as people slow down and take their time. You know that’s probably my biggest worry people go faster and faster, and they’ll end up over the side. Because it was gravel and people were scared of it, they did tend to come through at 20 or 25 miles per hour.
Tom Gallagher, driving his 1958 Corvette through the gorge to the Americarana festival in New Plymouth, echoed the positive sentiments. He and a group of five classic cars made the journey because the road was now sealed, highlighting the increased accessibility and safety for tourists.
We’ve been waiting for it for years, but we don’t take our cars off the seal. So, we’ve been waiting for it to be sealed and we knew it was going to be done about this time, so we said right this is when we are going to do it. So we’ve been waiting and waiting and it is just fantastic. The views coming through from down there when the mist cleared and the sun came out were just wonderful.
Not everyone is thrilled with the changes. Dan Hales, a forestry manager, questioned the allocation of funds. He said, Why couldn’t that money be put into the existing road? You know our wheels and tyres sometimes get buggered and need replacing because of potholes on the current sealed road.
Hales added, So, they’ve gone and spent all that money to make it easier for tourists or whatever and I personally don’t think it’s made the place a lot busier.
Project manager Sree Nutulapati, overseeing the tarsealing, acknowledged the task’s complexity. It is a remote and as you can also see because we’ve just driven through here, it’s a constrained work environment and it’s only 4 meters wide at certain sections. So, if you put a grader and a digger in you can hardly get past one another. So, it has been challenging, slow work.
Nutulapati pressed on
It’s still windy and even though it’s a 62 miles per hour environment, I would still recommend you drive slowly because it is still quite narrow. Some of the sections, even though it is sealed, are only 16 feet wide when ideally on a State Highway, you would have about 23 feet.
The project, anticipated to bolster tourism in Taranaki by $35 million to $45 million, is expected to create up to 60 local jobs. Stratford Mayor Neil Volzke noted that the seal represents 60 years of persistent advocacy.
Volzke pointed out, The road links Stratford and the region with Taumarunui and it’s a popular tourist route, but it will become much more so now the road has been sealed.
He added I don’t see it like someone turning on a tap and it will be wonderful overnight, but over time that will increase significantly. It’s actually part of a bigger picture. This is now a direct link to the centre of the island, so if you’re doing the Tongariro Crossing, you’ve got a direct link across to Taranaki and then to do our crossing. So we see lots of potential in that.
Before the sealing there were around 170 vehicles a day: this increase in vehicle count is anticipated to increase by 15 percent, potentially bringing the yearly count up to 13,000.
The upgrades to State Highway 43 might serve as a benchmark for similar projects worldwide, showcasing the balance between preserving natural landscapes and enhancing infrastructure. There are significant parallels to be drawn with U.S. initiatives such as the rehabilitation of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia and North Carolina, which faced comparable logistical challenges but achieved similar successful outcomes.
However, implementing similar infrastructure improvements in the U.S. isn’t without its hurdles. For instance, the Blue Ridge Parkway, though critical for tourism, often struggles with allocated funding, public opposition due to environmental concerns, and technical difficulties presented by steep, winding terrain. New Zealand’s project, successfully leveraging the Provincial Growth Fund, faces fewer such limitations, providing a more streamlined path to completion.
The key to New Zealand’s successful tarsealing project lies in its meticulous planning and precise execution, akin to the meticulously managed highway expansions in the U.S. Although funding details are withheld from the public, engagement with legislators and residents are paramount in such initiatives.
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Alongside the tarsealing completion, there are broader implications for sustainability in transportation and tourism. Third-party audits recommend further explorations on additional eco-friendly aspects of this transformation. If executed well, the enhancing State Highway 43 certainly applies to infrastructure advocacy over time, for a broader and a much greener approach.
The Future of State Highways in a Sustainable Tourism Era
With the completion of the tarsealing, the focus will shift to incorporating eco-friendly practices into the tourism industry along State Highway 43. This includes supporting local businesses that adhere to sustainability principles, promoting eco-tourism, and developing infrastructure that minimizes environmental impact.
Addressing Concerns and Criticisms
Critics like Dan Hales, while justified in their concerns, often overlook the broader economic benefits. An upgraded highway boosts local economies by enhancing connectivity and safety – attracting businesses and potential settlements.
Dan’s suggestion to rather expend funds on maintenance of previously sealed roads is apt, though it addresses only a palpable immediate issue. Without the broader picture of economic growth and population rise, such notions would fail to answer sustainable investments for generations to come. Similar investments, such as Voss Town’s legacy updates may inline good practices to what when its clear share of incremental revenues over time, justifying its completion, despite initial tallied maintenance costs.
More Insights from Experts and Researchers
- Economic Perspective: Numerous economic analyses underscore the interconnectivity of infrastructure projects with tourism boosting trends. Real-world examples, like Mission, Searles Speedway in California, showcase high ROI through linking formerly isolated tourist destinations to mainstream circuits.
- Environmental Perspective: Environmentalists propose balanced development models, keeping nature alongside modern advancements. The National Trails System in the U.S., an embodiment of trail infrastructure balancing utility and nature, mirrors New Zealand’sहरedge monumental sustainable transit system additions.
Final Thoughts: As New Zealand’s state highways complete these major upgrades, they contribute towards not only stronger local economies, eco-tourism compatibility — but creating unparalleled, long-lasting positive impact on travelers and residents both.