Coastal highway to be funded by NZTA

Mataikona Road on the Masterton coast.
photo: LDR/Grace Pryor

The future of the only road in and out of the small coastal settlement of Masterton depends on a yet-to-be-determined funding decision.

Last week, Masterton District Council approved its long-term plan, which includes a budget of nearly $26 million to protect Mattacona Road from coastal erosion over the next 10 years.

The affected coastal area is home to one of the Wairarapa’s geological treasures, the Matakona Rocks.

But the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has yet to approve funding for the works over the next three years.

The agency is expected to make a decision after the National Land Transport Plan is adopted in September.

Last year, Masterton councillors agreed to seek funding for critical and high-risk interventions on the road, using a variety of coastal protection methods such as road retreats, slope stabilisation and retaining walls where practicable.

The proposed works will maintain access to the coast and the small settlement there of about 200 inhabitants.

Roads are easily damaged during bad weather.
photo: LDR/Flynn Nichols

Masterton District Council finance manager David Paris said the uncertainty over funding had been noted in the audit opinion issued on the LTP.

“We will move forward with our plans based on confirmation of funding,” Paris said.

“If this funding is not confirmed, construction of Matacona Road will need to be reconsidered and we will need to completely revise our work plan for the project.”

The New Zealand Transport Agency provides 56 per cent of funding for the council’s roadworks programme.

Every three years, the council submits a three-year plan to the New Zealand Transport Agency seeking co-funding from the National Land Transport Plan, and approval of the plan is often not in sync with the LTP cycle.

Masterton District Council has a total work plan of $58.3m for 2024-27, but the NZTA has approved only $43.4m to qualify for the subsidy.

They will let everyone know by September how much of the balance they will subsidize.

Matakona Rocks on the Wairarapa Coast.
photo: thing

This results in $14 million in jobs potentially ineligible for subsidies; the amount of subsidies that have not yet been confirmed is $8.35 million over three years.

Masterton District Council said if the subsidy was not fully paid for, it would take steps including halting the proposed $7.6 million upgrade of Matacona Road and cutting other footpath renewal, regional road safety and local road safety improvement projects to levels funded by council rates.

The committee will continue to liaise with the NZTA to ensure they understand the consequences of not providing the expected/required level of subsidy.

Revenue sources for the State Land Transportation Fund include: fuel excise taxes, road user charges, vehicle and driver registration and licensing, state highway property disposal and leasing, and road tolls.

All activity and project proposals received by the New Zealand Transport Agency are given priority for funding at a national level.

– LDR is a local news organisation jointly funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.