A plea by the road transport industry for a wider sealing on the Forgotten World Highway would add $12m to the overall cost, and destroy 100-year-old native forest, road authorities say. Taranaki Regional Council road transport committee member Tom Cloke said the 5m width would force tourist camper vans and heavy logging and stock trucks to pull over onto the narrow road shoulder when they meet head on. READ MORE:* Taranaki's remote Forgotten World Highway to get extra $13.4m for upgrades* Future of Forgotten World Highway sealed with $9.6m PGF investment* Business report recommends $19.5m improvements for SH43Up to $9.6m is already allocated from the Provincial Growth Fund to seal the section, with an extra $13.4m to be spent on improved signage, way finding, safety barriers and road markings. An average of 170 vehicles a day use the Forgotten World Highway. The normal width of a state highway carrying less than 500 vehicles a day is between 6.5m-7m while the existing unsealed road width varied between 3.4m-5m.

Source: Stuff July 02, 2020 17:01 UTC