The project which created a new and exciting design for the Havelock Road transport corridor has been named as a finalist in the 2012 Roading Excellence awards.

The Havelock Road Corridor development was entered into the Roading New Zealand awards by the Hastings District Council on behalf of partners Downer New Zealand and Opus International. Downer NZ was responsible for the construction of the pathway, while Opus International handled the design work. The Havelock Road Corridor Development is one of four finalists in the Excellence Award for Minor Road Projects category.

The other finalists are:

- The Kopane Bridge Replacement in Manawatu

- The Kitchener Street South upgrade in Auckland City

- State Highway 26/27 Tatuanui roundabout and passing lane in the Waikato

The corridor development project aimed to find solutions to the anticipated traffic congestion on Havelock Road over the next 30 years while providing a safe pathway for cyclists and walkers. The two lane road currently carries around 18,000 vehicles a day and that is expected to increase to 26,000 by the year 2045.

A 2.1 kilometre, three metre wide pathway was recently opened on the north side of the Havelock Road and is one of four arterials which make up the iWay walking and cycling network around Hastings. The corridor project also identified the need for an additional pathway on the southern side of Havelock Road, and in the long term, a new carriageway for public transport may be created down the centre of the current two lane road.

The Roading Excellence Awards accept entries from all organisations involved in the delivery of roading projects in New Zealand and seek to promote leadership, excellence and best practice in the provision of land transport infrastructure.

The category winners and the supreme award winner will be announced at a dinner on August 27th 2012 in Auckland.