Tauranga Eastern Link-Great Milestone or Major Flop?

The Tauranga Eastern Link is the Bay of Plenty's most expensive roading project to date, it's also the most controversial. Many people support the 455 Million dollar project however there are just as many people who disregard it. But before you get on one side, I will show the main facts:



Name: Tauranga Eastern Link, Tauranga Eastern Motorway or TEL.
Cost: $455,000,000
Length: 23km
Construction Start Date: December 2010
Construction Completion Date: Late 2015
Opening Date: 2016

Beginning of the Tauranga Eastern Link at Te Maunga.

Features: 
-Four lanes, two in each direction, providing a safer and more direct route between Tauranga to Paengaroa.
-Central median barrier.
-New intersections for Sandhurst Drive, Domain Road and Paengaroa junction (SH2/33).
-New overbridge for Parton and underpass for Maketu Roads.
-Urban design incorporating extensive landscaping.
-Electronic free-flow tolling system.
Benefits:
-Safer and easier travel
-Reduced travel times between Tauranga and Paengaroa
-More efficient connections for business, industry and tourism
-Support regional growth
-Generate jobs and a flow-on effect into the local economy in the form of wages and salaries.


People say that the Tauranga Eastern Link is going to be a major flop as State Highway Two has not reached full capacity yet. They also say the TEL is going to end up like Route K(Massive Failure) with large amounts of debt. However the other "side" says that State Highway Two is already at capacity and will exceed by the time the TEL opens. Of course there are many more arguments but we cannot fit them all in one article(It would become boring!) so I will give you the link to another blog with the same article.

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