The New Zealand (NZ) Transport Agency has announced the official opening of the new section of State Highway 2 (SH2) at Athenree Gorge.

The opening event was attended by representatives from local iwi Ngai Te Rangi, Coromandel MP Scott Simpson and Western Bay of Plenty District Council deputy mayor Gwenda Merriman.

The NZ Transport Agency project began last year and was carried out in two stages, which involved realigning certain road bends that reported a high crash rate.

"The project is a part of the NZ Transport Agency’s goal to make state highways safer with the creation of a better road system."

The Transport Agency Bay of Plenty highway manager Brett Gliddon said that removing the set of bends reduces the risk of drivers cornering incorrectly and crashing.

Other works carried out under the project include the construction of a new, straighter section of road, the removal of 90,000m³ of material from the site and the levelling of the road lowered by approximately 3m to deliver safer travel between Katikati and Waihi.

The programme also involved working with the Western Bay of Plenty District Council to upgrade a section of Athenree Road, as well as its approach to the state highway.

The project is a part of the NZ Transport Agency’s goal to make state highways safer with the creation of a better road system.

Temporary speed enforcement is still in place on the site, with few final works being carried out.

Meanwhile, the transport agency announced the opening of the second and last of the two new bridges that it has built over the Waitaki River on State Highway 82.