0 New Expressway Prefered Over the Bynderwyns

• News Posts
• by Stuart Gunn
• 23-04-2025

 This morning, preferred routes for two sections of the Northland Expressway were announced, with Transport Minister Chris Bishop urging patience as the project will unfold over years.  The first phase, a 26km stretch from Warkworth to Te Hana, will bypass Wellsford’s summer traffic jams, running east of the current highway.  Already consented, procurement is underway, with construction set to begin next year and completion targeted for 2032. Italian firm Webuild has confirmed its bid to build and operate this section as a public-private partnership. A toll is “almost certain” for this segment, Bishop noted.   The next phase, crossing the Brynderwyns, will follow, with the route from the Brynderwyns’ northern side to Port Marsden Highway at Ruakākā veering west of the existing road. The northernmost section, from Ruakākā to Whangārei—a crash-prone stretch—still awaits a finalized route. Another toll may apply north of the Brynderwyns, making three between Auckland and Whangārei.  NZTA will engage landowners starting Thursday 24th April, with route confirmation expected by September.  At the Brynderwyns lookout announcement, Whangārei MP Dr Shane Reti hailed the expressway as a regional game-changer, promising economic growth and safer roads. Northland MP Grant McCallum emphasized it would address decades of under-investment, improving access to places like the Bay of Islands. Regional Transport Committee chairman Joe Carr noted the $200 million economic hit from 2023-24 Brynderwyn closures, underscoring the need for reliable roads.  Regional Development Minister Shane Jones stressed urgency after Easter’s partial highway closure, saying the new expressway will withstand severe weather, ensuring better connectivity and shorter travel times. Plans for a Brynderwyns bypass, paused in 2017, were revived post-Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023, when slips forced months of closures, diverting traffic to narrow back roads.   Mike Hoskin interview with Transport minister Chris Bishop. Click Here   Source RNZ

0 New Events Scale Helps You Assess Events.

• News Posts
• by Stuart Gunn
• 11-02-2022

Every event  we send alerts for can now be signaled as to it's intensity and significance. After 12 years of operation we thought it might help you if a "picture "  could give you a better appreciation of different events. We have thousand of sources of information but that should make it easier for us to show how an event will unfold. By mentioning other events you will have a point of comparison. For email or txt alerts - www.lert.info  Time critical alerts like flash floods, severe thunderstorms, evacuations etc only work if you have the Txt service. It only cost 1/2 a bag of lollies per month.

0 Improved Tool Improves Speed and Accuracy

• News Posts
• by Stuart Gunn
• 04-02-2022

For several years we have used pre defined map areas for regions. This assures consistency across all staff when defining areas.   This is the Canterbury Plains and Foothills map This map is for just Lyttleton.   By doing the same for over 100 towns and settlements,  the error rate to zero. This is part of our preparation for our forthcoming app which will be offered to susbcribers first. Release date still unknown.   Free Personal emergency alerts - Click here NZ's Only National Txt road alert service - Click here

0 Earthquake caused tsunami can strike any time

• News Posts
• by Stuart Gunn
• 11-04-2021

New Zealand is vulnerable to tsunami effects from various sources in the Pacific Ring Of Fire.   There will be no warning of the quake that causes these, but depending on the source location there can be anything from 30mins to several hours lead time.   This Timeline  Video illustrates occassions when we have been affected. Sometimes the results is just tidal surges, others have seen small tsunami . Dates we have been affected 1906, 1923 (2), 1946, 1953, 1960 (massive source quake) 1964, 1965, 2001, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012  Lert Info   will be here, when one does occur, to keep you updated in real time just as we did with the recent Kermadec tsunami risk. We have access to many information sources and can get additional information to you that could save your life.