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Mayor welcomes long-overdue $50 million Budget boost for Awakino Gorge

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PUBLISHED: 29 MAY 2026
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New Plymouth District Mayor Max Brough has welcomed the Government’s $50 million Budget commitment to improve State Highway 3 through the Awakino Gorge, calling it a major and long-overdue win for Taranaki.

The funding is part of a $400 million package to strengthen key state highways across the country, with SH3 through the Awakino Gorge identified as a priority for resilience upgrades.

The announcement follows weeks of disruption after a major slip closed the road and, more recently, restricted motorists to daytime convoy travel, highlighting how vulnerable the route is in severe weather. Since July 2021, there have been 13 weather-related closures between Mt Messenger and SH4.

Mayor Max joined seven other mayors from districts affected by ongoing issues on this section of SH3 in a meeting with the New Zealand Transport Agency this morning, where they made it clear they want to see action as soon as possible.

“I welcome the commitment, but it’s important to see real work happening on the ground.

“People don’t need reminding how critical this road is — we’ve just lived through it. When the gorge shuts, Taranaki feels it immediately.

“Businesses, freight operators and families have faced long detours, delays and uncertainty. This funding is a long-overdue step toward building resilience, rather than simply patching things up after every major weather event,” Mayor Max says.

He also thanked those involved in years of advocacy to lift investment in the corridor, including previous mayors, councils, industry and the community, for helping get the route recognised for what it is: “a lifeline for our region”.

“The Awakino Gorge is the last critical piece in completing this northern corridor. Without it, all the previous work risks being undermined.”

Mayor Max said the focus must now shift quickly from commitment to delivery, with clear timelines, detailed planning and visible progress on the ground.

He said communities and businesses across the region would be looking for early signs that the investment will deliver lasting improvements to one of the region’s most important transport links.

Caption: SH3 in the Awakino Gorge has had 13 weather-related closures since July 2021

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Page last updated: 02:26pm Fri 29 May 2026

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