Construction of a major highway in the Manawatu Gorge is getting underway.
The road is replacing a stretch of State Highway 3 that was closed in 2017 by a number of large slips, forcing motorists and truck drivers to use steep and windy alternatives like Saddle Rd.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Friday broke dirt on what will soon be a major construction site.
"A sod-turning wouldn't be the same without a massive gaggle of politicians," she joked.
It marks the start of the Te Ahu a Turanga highway - a four-lane road stretching 11.5km from Ashurst to Woodville - with a price tag of $620 million.
Tauranga District Mayor Tracey Collis says the project will be well-received.
"There’s a lot of people that have been looking forward to the first sod going in the ground and seeing this project. It gives some certainty to their businesses and to their lives."
The replacement route was given the final go-ahead last month, and should provide an economic boost for the region.
Ardern says it has a target to employ more than "60 percent locally."
It's a welcome boost for Woodville, where business has taken a hit, as the new road will direct traffic through the small town once more.
At the other end of Saddle Rd, some Ashurst locals are looking forward to a reduction in traffic once the new road is built.
The New Zealand Transport Agency says construction will start next month, with a completion date set for the end of 2024.
