Ecology management

The road design reduces adverse effects on the landscape and its plants and animals by being built lower into the landscape.

This means less digging was needed. It also resulted in less fill to dispose of and natural hill contours and streams were retained.

Where the homes of native plant and animal species were affected, new homes were found. Extensive native plantings were carried out to make up for what was lost by way of vegetation.

The planting of natural vegetation to replace any indigenous vegetation lost during the project were at a ratio of 10-(gain)-to-1-(lost) –- one of the largest ratios in any New Zealand roading project. Some habitats were increased in size.