Roading pressure in Tamahere is again emerging as one of the district's biggest long-term issues, following a highly engaged discussion at the latest meeting of the Tamahere Community Committee.
Representatives from New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA), including Sarah Anderson and Susan Collins, presented updated plans for the Hamilton Southern Links project and its implications for Tamahere.
But it was one statement during the meeting that unsettled many residents and committee members - NZTA confirmed the TCC is not officially recognised as a stakeholder in the Southern Links planning process.
The concern centres on proposed changes near Tamahere Drive. Under the updated concept, the existing roundabout connection would effectively disappear, replaced by a direct interchange connection to the Waikato Expressway - but without local road access from Tamahere Drive into the Southern Links corridor.
TCC members strongly opposed the proposal, arguing it ignores the traffic congestion already being experienced across Tamahere since the Expressway opened in 2022.
Committee members said previous traffic modelling had "grossly underestimated" actual traffic volumes now flowing through SH21/Airport Road and surrounding local roads. Residents also argued the existing Tamahere interchange was never designed to operate as a major regional expressway interchange.
Key Concerns Raised
Concerns raised included future freight growth linked to Hamilton's inland port operations and the proposed Waikato Thoroughbred Racing development in Tamahere.
TCC questioned why potential traffic impacts from the WTR FastTrack proposal are absent from NZTA's current planning. NZTA advised that because no formal access application has been lodged by WTR, associated traffic impacts are not currently included in modelling.
There was also concern about the future of the aging Narrows Bridge on SH21/Airport Road, with questions raised over whether the bridge will eventually require replacement or upgrading.
Tolling and Bypass Fears
Another major issue was tolling. NZTA confirmed Southern Links is likely to be built in stages, with some or all sections potentially becoming toll roads.
That possibility raised fears local roads through Tamahere and the Narrows area could become unofficial bypass routes for motorists avoiding toll charges.
Committee members also referenced previous problems around the Devine Road/Birchwood Lane connection during expressway closures, where diverted traffic and poor signage caused significant disruption on local roads.
Community Voice Under Pressure
While NZTA indicated TCC's views would need to be represented through Waikato District Council rather than through direct stakeholder recognition, many present viewed that position as inadequate given the long-term implications for Tamahere residents.
One thing became clear during the meeting - for many locals, Southern Links is no longer just a future highway project. It is increasingly being viewed as a defining issue for how growth, freight movement and local community voice are balanced across Tamahere in the decades ahead.