The upgraded sections of Route 52 have smoothed corners. Photo: Jimmy Ellingham / RNZ
A section of previously treacherous road connecting isolated settlements in the lower North Island has been upgraded in a multi-million-dollar project.
The 26-kilometre stretch of Route 52 around Weber and Wimbledon in the Tararua District has transformed into a modern carriageway thanks to Covid recovery, shovel-ready funding of $16.6 million.
The Tararua District Council previously tried unsuccessfully to obtain central government money, and was instead directing increasing amounts of its small maintenance budget to the creaking pavement.
The section of Route 52, a former state highway, connects only a sparse population, but it is important for carrying trucks for farming and forestry.
There are also hopes more tourists will use the road too.
The entire Route 52 stretches from Central Hawke's Bay to Wairarapa, and includes the world's longest place name, Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu.
Local resident Top Gollan told RNZ the section of road was so bad before the upgrade, one dip took 14 years to fix.
Wimbledon farmer Sue Morgans was thankful the work had knocked about 15 minutes off the 60 kilometre trip to Dannevirke.
Margaret Treacy, who lives in the coastal settlement of Herbertville, used to drive there three times a week for work, and said it was unsafe in the rain.
She was not so keen on a tourism boom, however.
"Herbertville's a lovely little village. It's got a golf course. About 20 people live there permanently.
"We get quite a few people there over the summer break, but it's lovely when they go. We love our peace and quiet."
The project completion ceremony was held at the Wimbledon Tavern on Wednesday afternoon - a pub that is at the heart of the small settlement, where down the road a school that closed decades ago sits empty.
Wimbledon Tavern owner Eric Gathercole hoped the upgrade was good for his business. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham
Tavern owner Eric Gathercole wanted less peace and quiet for his 140-year-old business.
"Hopefully it means a little bit more traffic and a little bit more business. We're quite looking forward to it.
"Tourists are probably our most frequent visitors. Those are the people we want to encourage out here."
The project used local firms in its construction, including Alabaster Contracting. Owner Alf Alabaster said as a result his company had grown from doing farm work into larger projects.
"It's allowed us to employ some young people and it's allowed us to give them training.
"For young people, some of them are fresh out of school, they've got some skills they can certainly move on with."
Tararua Alliance network manager Andrew Desmond said the work went well in 2021 and 2024, but the years in between were severely affected by bad weather, including Cyclones Gabrielle and Dovi.
"February, March, July, August and September 2022 we had storm events.
"They proceeded Cyclone Hale in January 2023. That was the first day back at work. When that hit we had a section of the road disappear."
Carterton writer Simon Burt has just had published a book about the road, called Route 52: A Big Lump of Country Unknown, and his impressions of the Wimbledon section of the road pre-upgrade are not good.
Author Simon Burt recalled the bone-jangling experiences of driving on the road before its upgrade. Photo: Jimmy Ellingham / RNZ
He read sections to the 70 people at the Wimbledon Tavern on Wednesday, including tales of items getting thrown around his caravan on bumpy rides.
Tararua District mayor Tracey Collis recalled, locals had a message for her about what needed to happen.
"TDC, fix your bloody roads," read a note on the road.
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