The expedited reopening of a major Coromandel state highway could serve as the blueprint for more efficient delivery of key infrastructure projects in the future, according to a report from industry association Infrastructure NZ.
The report, presented to Transport Minister Simeon Brown last week, sets out several factors that led to the accelerated reopening of State Highway 25A and outlines the associated economic benefits.
It aims to help inform the Government’s infrastructure plans and improve New Zealand’s planning, consenting and procurement systems.
Several major storm events in January 2023 caused significant damage to the arterial route, with a slip resulting in the total loss of a section measuring over 100m.
Less than 12 months later, the new 124m long Taparahi Bridge opened in December – three months ahead of schedule.
Typically, the design and construction process of a similar bridge would take 18 to 24 months.
Infrastructure NZ chief executive Nick Leggett said that the speed of the project’s delivery was an “extraordinary achievement”.
“By studying what made the SH25A project so successful we can learn how to gain significant efficiencies and faster delivery of key infrastructure projects in the future.”
However, he said that while the figures were “impressive”, the real value was in the increased economic activity brought on by the reopening.
The road’s closure for much of 2023 caused a drop in domestic tourism expenditure, from $456m in 2022 to $415m in 2023.
While this decrease was “blunted” by a strong recovery in international tourism expenditure following Covid lockdowns, the Thames-Coromandel region saw far slower rises to tourism expenditure when compared to other regional economies.
It is estimated that the road’s accelerated reopening will deliver at least $69m in increased tourism expenditure for the region and will increase regional GDP by a total of $86m.
“This is a great local economic story, brought about by excellent planning, co-operation and delivery from the public and private infrastructure sectors working together,” said Leggett.
Infrastructure NZ said it is encouraging Government ministers to adopt the report’s key recommendations which include empowering the NZTA board and senior management to adopt a mature approach to procurement and Government infrastructure agencies driving efficiency through standardisation, where appropriate.
“With an infrastructure deficit of more than $200 billion, New Zealand cannot rely on emergency situations such as that experienced in the Coromandel to drive high performance and faster pace in the building of our critical infrastructure.”