Plans to upgrade and improve Amohau St and State Highway 30A have been revealed by the NZ Transport Agency and will "...focus on improving access and safety on the corridor for all types of travel".

Waka Kotahi/NZ Transport Agency is working with the Rotorua Lakes Council to upgrade the section of road, known as the Central Corridor, from Old Taupō Rd to Sala St.

However, construction is subject to funding approval and will likely begin sometime between late-2021 and early-2022.

Waka Kotahi Acting Portfolio Delivery Manager Jo Wilton says detailed designs for the project are now complete and improvements for the corridor have been finalised following several rounds of consultation with stakeholders, affected businesses, property owners and the wider public.

'We've worked closely with the Rotorua community to ensure the improvements we construct consider the feedback and needs of those who know their community best," Wilton says.

'We are confident this project will create a much safer and enjoyable city centre environment for locals and tourists alike.”

The project will focus on improving access and safety on the corridor for all types of travel, supporting the revitalisation of the city centre.

'One of the project's priorities is to reduce the existing conflict between cyclists, pedestrians and vehicles using the corridor,” says Wilton.

The design includes a new shared path on both sides of the road, safety improvements to key intersections such as SH30A/Pukuatua St, new signalised pedestrian crossings and upgrades to existing crossing points.

The work is planned for Amohau St from Old Taupo Rd to Sala St. Photo/Supplied

The project also involves the handing over of the road to the Rotorua Lakes Council, meaning it will be managed by the council as a local arterial road once construction is complete.

Rotorua Lakes Council Infrastructure General Manager Stavros Michael says the project will greatly improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists, help balance traffic flow and provide better connectivity for the community.

'We are pleased to see this piece of work progressing and look forward to construction getting underway," Micheal says.

"This continues to be a busy and important road corridor and these upgrades are necessary to ensure a better overall outcome for our community and especially our CBD.

'It is also great to see Waka Kotahi include shared pathways as part of this project, which will connect our shared path network from east to west and complement our community's increasing use of alternative modes of transport.”

The Central Corridor is part of the Connect Rotorua programme to futureproof two of Rotorua's key transport networks: SH30A/Amohau St and SH30/Te Ngae Rd (the Eastern Corridor).

For more information about the Central Corridor and Connect Rotorua, including a full map of the Central Corridor improvements, visit nzta.govt.nz/connect-rotorua.