Whakatāne District Council has agreed on a short-list of priority transport projects over the next three years.

The list, presented to councillors at an infrastructure and planning committee meeting on Thursday, includes 18 projects.

The first stage of improvements to Keepa Road and an upgrade of the Arawa Road-Hinemoa Street roundabout were among the priority projects.

Although the combined cost estimate of all the projects is more than $15.5 million, they all qualify for Waka Kotahi-New Zealand Transport Agency funding, which would cover 65 percent of those costs.

The projects have been prioritised from a list of just under 100 projects, which had been identified to address issues on the district’s 906-kilometre roading network.

Using a newly devised investment logic map, these projects were given a priority score from A to E.

This was based on a range of factors, including the safety benefit, resilience or future demand, as well as their simplicity and value for money.

The first stage of the Keepa Road improvements, between State Highway 30 and the Kope Canal, is the only project given an A ranking.

Estimated to cost $4.8 million, it is also the priciest to make the short-list.

Aligned with the building of Te Rāhui Herenga Waka Boat Harbour, the works include widening of the road to alleviate any congestion caused by boat trailers accessing the harbour, reducing any flood risk and a new shared use pathway for pedestrians and cyclists.

Whakatāne District Council's top priority transport project for the draft long-term plan is road widening and realignment of Keepa Road to ease traffic holdups caused by boats accessing the planned Te Rāhui Herenga Waka Boat Harbour.

Transportation manager Ann-Elise Reynolds said another project making the cut, the Arawa Road-Hinemoa Stret roundabout, had reached the end of its life and renewal was required to avoid major pavement failures.

The new surface and pavement would have a 30-plus year lifespan and council would also use the opportunity to “address associated improvements”.

As it was a key school route, officials were considering improved pedestrian access. The council also hoped to address the camber and drainage.

“Currently, unlike most roads, the cesspit is in the centre of the roundabout and with large trees nearby the grate gets blocked with leaves and floods in heavy rain events.

"In addition, the three-waters pump station is right on the edge of this roundabout, making it difficult to access for inspections and maintenance and involving costly traffic management.”

Three new variable message warning signs to be located near the Landing Road roundabout, near the Commerce Street-Landing Road roundabout and to replace a manual flip-board sign at the Te Urewera access point in Te Whaiti were also included on the list and Ms Reynolds had hopes that this could possibly be fully funded by Waka Kotahi.

Projects that did not make the short list included Manawahe Road flood resistance, a clip-on shared-use path for the Whakatāne Bridge, resilience projects for Reid and Awahou roads in Rūātoki, a pedestrian crossing on State Highway 30 at The Hub and a three stage Ōhope dunes boardwalk from Mahy Reserve to the Port Ohope Wharf.

Rangitaiki general ward councillor Gavin Dennis asked whether the Manawahe Road project was in regard to “Lake Manawahe”, by which he meant the low-lying area where two homes were inhabitable after being flooded early last year.

Ms Reynolds confirmed it was and that there would be a report coming to the next infrastructure and planning meeting with updates on $200,000 worth of recommended improvements.

This table shows projects that have been included in Whakatāne District Council's preferred transport programme of works to be included in the Long-term Plan 2024-2033.

The project was among the C-ranked projects to make the list.

“It sits in the projects that could come in or out of the programme, but because the bottom line for the draft long-term plan is fixed, for it to go in, one of the C-priority projects would need to come out or the budget would have to be increased to fit it in,” Ms Reynolds said.

Ms Reynolds also explained why the resilience projects for Reid and Awahou roads in Rūātoki were not on the shortlist, while two areas of Tāneatua Road were.

"One of the key reasons for putting Tāneatua Road first was that if we lose Tāneatua Road, people can’t get to Rūātoki. So it’s about getting that resilience along that route.

"Once these have been dealt with, the very next priority is doing the same thing in Rūātoki.”

A full list of projects that have been identified but not included in the preferred programme is available in appendix one of the infrastructure and planning committee meeting agenda, which can be found on the meetings and agendas page of the council’s website whakatāne.govt.nz.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.