PRESS RELEASE:

The new Great Barrier Gateway toll road has been completed and will be opened on 20 April 2009 to vehicular traffic. Currently the newly paved road is only open to pedestrians.

The 50 metre concreted driveway replaces the former 4WD only ‘goat track’ that led to Adam and Peter’s house in Tryphena. The former road was deemed too dangerous for regular traffic after numerous incidents and arguments had occurred over the past year since the lads moved to the island. The most recent incident involved a 4WD Landrover with trailer jack-knifing across the bottom of the drive. “There was much drama and language at the time” says affected road user Adam.

The new road has been in the planning phase for the past twelve months, and construction started three weeks ago. A digger was brought to the island to assist in flattening humps and straightening bends, and finally after several weeks of preparation, including laying of boxing and mesh, concrete was poured. It took 11 hours to lay and screed the 15 cubic metres of concrete required, exceeding all initial scheduling and funding estimates (the lads have never laid concrete before!). However the final result is well worth the investment as future road users will discover.

Turning the first sod (yes, that's no way to speak about Peter who is driving the digger)

 

Using the ‘highly successful’ Northern Gateway model, the new driveway will recover costs using tolls. This public/private partnership has resulted in the road being planned, built, and opened far ahead of the usual schedule (although we’re not really expecting any public funding somehow!).

Tolls are payable as follows:

Cars – $75.00 each way

Motorcycles – $20.00 each way

Tax inspectors – $25,000.00 each way

All other government officials – $18,000.00 each way

And just like the new Northern Gateway, it is expected that there will be many upaid tolls at the end of each month. Only tax inspectors and government officials will be fined and prosecuted for failing to pay their tolls. But unlike the Northern Gateway, cash and cheques will be accepted!

Prepped and ready for concrete

 

An ingenious way of moving concrete uphill

 

Unfortunately there is currently only enough funding in the roading budget to have sealed only half the driveway, but luckily the rest of the drive is not as steep or as difficult.

Roading planners were surprised the other day when a group of unusual and uninvited pedestrians began using the driveway ahead of the scheduled pedestrian opening. It seems that a stray flock of sheep from a neighbouring farm decided to ingore the “No Entry” signage and rope cordon, and became the official first users of the newly paved road. Fortunately most of the concrete had set, although collections of hoof marks are clearly visible at many points along the new road. The road planners used mint sauce and roasting pans to ward off the uninvited road users, along with threats that the said users might be invited to the official opening party on April 20th - as the main course!

Stay tuned for more updates on the opening of this exciting island project.