- Hon Chris Bishop
The sealing of a 12-kilometre stretch of State Highway 43 (SH43) through the Tangarakau Gorge - one of the last remaining sections of unsealed state highway in the country - has been completed this week as part of a wider programme of work aimed at improving the safety and resilience of this iconic back country route, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.
"The gorge was the last stretch of SH43, otherwise known as the Forgotten World Highway, still unsealed. Sealing this section has made it safer and more enjoyable for all road users and will boost tourism numbers for the iconic back-country journey," Mr Bishop says.
"It's also made the trip between Stratford and Taumarunui more accessible, encouraging visitor flows from Tongariro National Park through to Egmont National Park, given many vehicle rental companies prohibit travel on unsealed roads. This is great news for the economies of both regions and supports our drive to boost economic growth and productivity.
"Sealing the road was just one part of the project - crews have also built four new retaining walls along the route; installed more than ten culverts to carry water under the road; and constructed two new two-lane bridges along SH43.
"We know how important this route is for tourism, and we know people love it for its flora and fauna. In making these improvements and sealing the road, we've been careful to retain that remote feeling and the iconic nature of the road.
"The gorge is still narrow in places, with one-way bridges, so road users are still urged to take it easy and drive to the conditions."
