The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has awarded engineering consultancy firm Beca a contract to design the Hairini Link Maungatapu underpass.

Under the contract, Beca’s team will design the NZ$55m ($45.5m) link between Welcome Bay Road and State Highway 2a (SH2A) underneath the Maungatapu roundabout, as well as assisting the agency to prepare the construction tender contract documents.

Once the sample design is decided, the contract for the construction of the Hairini Link Maungatapu underpass will be put out to tender.

"Once the sample design is decided, the contract for the construction of the Hairini Link Maungatapu underpass will be put out to tender."

The construction of the Maungatapu underpass, which was recognised as the most effective option to ease congestion at the Welcome Bay / Hairini and Maungatapu roundabouts, is expected to commence in 2014, and will take around three years to complete.

Over the past four years, improvements have been made including the installation of lights at both intersections to manage highway traffic along SH29, as well as local traffic from Welcome Bay and Ohauiti Road.

SH29 is considered to be a vital route for trucks transferring goods to the Port of Tauranga, while SH2A is the main link for the Welcome Bay community to the CBD.

The latest underpass will divide local and highway traffic, while reducing congestion, improving road safety and cutting travel times.