ROAD NEWS
THE (NOT SO) FORGOTTEN WORLD HIGHWAY
T
he NZTA has confirmed that the picturesque
SH43 – also known as The Forgotten World
Highway – is about to undergo serious safety
improvements following the country’s release
from Covid-19 lockdown.
In February the Government’s announcement
of $13.4 million in funding from the NZ Upgrade
Programme for further improvements to the
Forgotten World Highway.
Improvements for SH43 – which runs from
Taumaranui in the Waikato to Stratford in Taranaki
– include new signage, passing opportunities
and safety barriers, as well as road markings,
slow vehicle bays and improvements to the
Moki Tunnel.
Funding was also committed for replacing culverts
in two locations along the route and development
of a preventative maintenance strategy.
In a release sent out on May 26th, NZTA stated:
“We are currently working through investigations
and designs for this work and expect to be
able to provide an update on timings and when
construction could start in the coming months.
A total of $23m is now being invested in the
Forgotten World Highway to make the road safer
and more accessible for locals and visitors.”
While actual work on the highway, and around
the country for that matter, was halted during
the lockdown, NZTA continued to work on
the completion to the design for sealing the
Tangarakau Gorge, a section of roughly 12km of
gravel road in the middle of the Forgotten World
Highway, with the starting of work to seal the
gorge expected to start in the second half of
this year.
The plan to seal the gorge calls for the delivery
of the sealing project in two stages to reduce
the impact on traffic through the narrow section
of SH43. First, work will start on the 2km section
at the southern end of the gorge, with the
remaining sealing work for the other 10km next
year. The entire project is expected to take up to
two years to complete, NZTA says.
The Forgotten World Highway is one of the
scenic gems of the North Island, and while some
out there might hate the idea of riding on gravel,
the last opportunity to experience this rustic ride
in its rugged beauty is fast approaching.
16 KIWI RIDER