Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway

Connecting communities with a vital transport link between Ashurst and Woodville.

The project’s reach extends beyond the infrastructure, focusing on creating positive social outcomes; local employment and upskilling local communities.

In a rewarding partnership with local iwi, we and our partners are building 11.5km of new highway between Ashurst and Woodville. The highway boasts two lanes in each direction, including a shared use path for walkers and cyclists and will be fully planted across the whole project site.

It’s an initiative with a huge social upside, and a benchmark for communities all over New Zealand. This is a $620m project that will employ up to 350 people, many from the community, at any one time.

Our work
Building – six bridges and structures along the 11.5km highway with two bridges 300m or more over the Manawatu River, including simultaneous protection of nearby sensitive wetlands.

Earthworks – we’ll move approximately 6 million cubic metres of earth.

Planting – approximately 2 million trees and plants the length of the highway and surrounding area.

Our Environment
Catching moths is not often thought of as an important part of construction, but it was on this project. In fact, HEB crews were tasked with significant ecological challenges here, including the capture and relocation not only of native moths, but birds, lizards, fish and flora species too. Additionally, we worked hard to manage noise, dust and erosion, accomplishing an overall 99 percent compliance score from the regional council.