Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) is inviting locals to learn more about the post-Cyclone Gabrielle recovery and rebuild.

TREC is an alliance set up to plan, design and manage the delivery of much of the recovery and rebuild work needed on the state highway and rail networks along the East Coast in partnership with local contractors and suppliers.

Since July when TREC was created, the focus has been on recovery work to restore access to parts of the State Highway network.

Across Hawke’s Bay, more than 11 recovery sites have been completed, from a total of 156. A further 33 are in construction and 53 in design. Across Tairāwhiti, more than 120 recovery sites have been completed, from a total of 264. A further 25 are in construction and 78 in design. The recovery work will continue until the end of the year.

TREC is hosting a series of community drop-in sessions for local communities to get to know more about TREC’s ongoing recovery work, to meet the team and share local knowledge. We’ll be asking people for their views and feedback on potential long-term rebuild projects, including at Eskdale at the intersection of SH2 and SH5 Napier-Taupō Road, SH2 at Devil’s Elbow and resilience sites being investigated on State Highway 2 between Wairoa and Gisborne.

At the same time, we’ll be providing a progress update on the SH2 Waikare Gorge project.

These initial projects are a key focus because they’re all critically important parts of the network to keep freight moving and communities connected, especially in emergencies.

TREC Hawke’s Bay spokesperson Jacob Laird says hi-vis vests and hard hats are a common sight on our network and will be for a number of years. “These drop-in sessions are the perfect opportunity to meet some of the TREC team behind those hi-vis vests and hard hats. We want to hear from the people who live and work in these communities and who drive the state highway network regularly.

“We value the support of local communities and communities for their support since Cyclone Gabrielle. We want to reiterate our thanks to people for their support while we restore access and rebuild a more resilient network,” says Mr Laird.

TREC invites as many people as possible to have their say on the network. People who can’t make the drop-in sessions are invited to have their say via an online questionnaire (open from 18 March to 16 April) on the TREC webpage of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.

There will be more opportunities to share your views on rebuilding work and help shape the future of the East Coast state highway network.

Details of the community drop-in sessions are as follows:

18 March 2024

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