Skip to main content

New Zealand bypass project attracts controversy

New Zealand’s Mount Messenger bypass project has attracted some controversy and opposition. The 5.2km route will cost around US$129 million (NZ$200 million) to construct and will include two bridges as well as a tunnel section. The alignment has been selected from five options as it minimise environmental damage. However there are complaints from environmentalists that the project will damage a 44ha area that includes forest and wetlands as well as posing a threat to some endangered bird life.
July 18, 2019 Read time: 1 min

New Zealand’s Mount Messenger bypass project has attracted some controversy and opposition. The 5.2km route will cost around US$129 million (NZ$200 million) to construct and will include two bridges as well as a tunnel section. The alignment has been selected from five options as it minimise environmental damage. However there are complaints from environmentalists that the project will damage a 44ha area that includes forest and wetlands as well as posing a threat to some endangered bird life.

Related Content

  • Stonehenge tunnel plans revised
    February 8, 2018
    Plans for the £1.6 billion Stonehenge Tunnel bypass in the UK have now been revised.
  • COWI wins Massey Tunnel design contract
    February 18, 2022
    COWI will develop an eight-lane immersed tunnel for the George Massey Crossing Project near Vancouver, Canada.
  • Strasbourg bypass surveys halted over environmental concerns
    September 27, 2017
    Further delays are looming for construction of the western Strasbourg bypass, a controversial toll motorway project in north eastern France. The government is concerned about environmental issues after Arcos, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Vinci responsible for building the bypass, said it was going to carry out field surveys in 1.5 hectares of what many consider environmentally sensitive areas.
  • Starnberg tunnel in Germany gets go ahead
    February 24, 2017
    Approval has been given for the construction of a new road tunnel in the German town of Starnberg. The €162 million road tunnel project is intended to cut congestion in the town centre but has been the subject of some controversy. The German Federal Government has agreed to a portion of the project’s costs, with the remainder coming from the Bavarian State as well as the local government. Starnberg, located some 30km south west of Bavaria’s capital Munich, is reputed to be the wealthiest town in Germany, so