Major improvements on SH1 between Taupō and Waiouru are overdue but commuters may have to settle for a $4 million, short-term fix at Bulli Pt.

In 2017 Waka Kotahi / NZTA put forward a billion-dollar solution to fix the two big problems along the route, but so far the programme of works has barely been touched.

It suggested a detour around Bulli Pt, from Hatepe to Motuoapa, a replacement for the Tauranga-Taupo River Bridge and a second realignment of the highway, from Rangipo to just past the summit of the Desert Rd, by-passing the torturous Three Sisters gully.

It is a 10-year programme of works but, as yet, it has not been considered important enough to fund.

Completing the project is estimated to save 15 deaths or serious injuries every five years and reduce the journey time by 14 minutes for trucks.

Freight, tourism and commuters compete for space on State Highway 1 at Bulli Pt, Taupo.

The Taupō & Tūrangi Herald requested details of the programme from Waka Kotahi - NZTA, under the Official Information Act and received a response from national manager of system design Robyn Elston.

Elston said part of the Taupō to Waiouru Safety Management and Resilience Indicative Business Case - to construct a retaining wall and minor strengthening on SH1 at Te Poporo/Bulli Pt - was approved in 2020, however it was later denied funding.

The realignment was estimated to cost $4.16 million, and would have widened the road at its narrowest point and also provide a safe pathway for people to access Bulli Pt, which is a popular place for people to jump off cliffs into the water.

The site has been the scene of numerous serious accidents - the latest happened in November last year when a truck tipped off the highway and spilled a load of bright orange krill oil, pre-packaged meat and milk powder into the lake.

Krill oil, pre-packaged meat and milk powder escapes into Lake Taupō after a truck crashes off SH1 at Te Poporo / Bulli Point. Photo / Waikato Regional Council

The proposed safety works will require a 220-metre-long retaining wall to widen the road and create a safe, off-road pathway for visitors from the north side wishing to jump off Bulli Point.

Elston said the design is complete, although further refinements are required on the treatment of stormwater.

“Due to funding constraints, this project was not funded in the current National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) period, but we are exploring options for funding this work in the 2024-27 NLTP.”

Elston provided a link to the business case for the wider project which was estimated to cost $950m in 2017.

The authors of the business case said the section of SH1, from Taupō to Waiouru has been “under-invested-in over a number of decades”.

“As a result (it) is limited in its form and its ability to perform its function as well as being one of the most expensive sections of the highway network to operate and maintain.

“These additional costs - in some areas five times greater per kilometre than the average highway maintenance costs - relate to the poor condition of the underlying asset as well as difficulty to maintain some remote and constrained sections such as the Desert Rd curves and the Three Sisters.”

The business case includes a ‘Problem Statement’ that highlights road user safety, consistent travel time speeds - particularly for freight, travel time reliability and network resilience.

“A more specific issue for this section of SH1 is that there are conflicts at various points along SH1 between the corridor’s role as the main north-south transport link in the North Island, local network users and the interaction with high levels of tourism and recreation activity.

“These conflicts occur primarily along Lake Taupō, through the towns and at various points on the route where people slow or stop at recreational areas (ie. Bulli Point) or areas of interest (viewing and photo taking opportunities) such as along the Desert Rd,” the business case reads.

Safety, resilience and reliability improvements include a realignment of SH1 between Hatepe Hill and Motuoapa, at the Three Sisters and on the Desert Rd curves, improved maintenance regimes, improved traveller information and improved emergency response in the form of landing areas for rescue helicopters and improved cellphone coverage.

In 2017, delivery of the project was proposed “in a staged manner over 30 years as funding permits”, but, as yet nothing has been done.

The project was proposed to have the following benefits:

• Reduce deaths and serious injuries by 35-45 per cent with 10-15 deaths or serious injuries saved over five-year periods.
• Achieve more consistent travel speeds along Lake Taupō Foreshore and Desert Road/Three Sisters with average speeds increased from current 72km/h to 86km/h
• Reduce the impact of closures on customers with 16 less road closures and 158 less hours of road closure over a five-year period.
• A shorter journey time with 14 minutes saved for freight.