A group is advocating for the Remutaka Hill road to be listed as nationally significant. Photo: Piers Fuller / LDR
Masterton District Council has drafted a letter of support for the Remutaka Hill road to be included in the government's list of Roads of National Significance.
At Wednesday's council meeting, elected members would vote on whether to endorse the letter and throw support behind the Remutaka Road Action Group.
The group was campaigning for an alternative route over the Remutaka Hill to be investigated and for the road to be included in the government's list of Roads of National Significance.
In its draft support letter, the council said the designation would "appropriately recognise the road's importance in supporting economic growth and productivity, improving safety, and providing a more resilient roading network for our communities".
"While this council is not advocating for any specific solution or design proposal, we strongly support the addition of the route between the Wairarapa and Wellington region to the list of Roads of National Significance."
The council's draft letter said the Remutaka Hill road had experienced significant growth in usage, with daily traffic nearly doubling from 3900 vehicles per day in 2003 to approximately 7000 vehicles per day in 2025.
"This substantial increase reflects the interdependence between Wairarapa and Wellington and places mounting pressure on infrastructure," the draft letter said.
It also noted ongoing safety concerns with the existing route.
"The record of 387 reported crashes between 2012 and 2022, resulting in 32 fatalities or serious injuries, represents a risk to our communities that should be considered when assessing the costs and benefits of further work and development on the road."
The Remutaka route was also a key lifeline for the Wellington region and played a critical role in regional resilience, particularly during emergencies when alternative routes may be compromised.
If the route were improved, it would remove a constraint on economic development, tourism potential, and residential growth in Wairarapa, the council said.
The council was set to meet on Wednesday to discuss.
Any endorsement of the Remutaka Road Action Group would be shared with the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA).
A similar endorsement was not supported by South Wairarapa councillors in February. Their vote was delayed until the council heard directly from the Remutaka Road Action Group.
A recent update from the group said Transport Minister Chris Bishop had turned down a meeting with them.
"In [Bishop's] response, he refers to recommendations made from studies undertaken in 2008 and 2016 which was to continue with improvements on the existing road," the group said.
"Neither of those reports looked at alternative options other than to reference a tunnelling option in a strategy study created by Works Consultancy back in 1993.
"Since the 1993 report, no other alternatives were considered. With modern hill cutting techniques, we believe that cheaper options now exist and need to be properly considered."
Late last year, an NZTA spokesperson said investigating an alternative Remutaka Hill route was unlikely to be added to the list of projects for the state highway network "in terms of funding and financing".
However, if it was a road of national significance included in the government Policy Statement, NZTA was bound to "give effect to that".
In a statement, Bishop said the government had "an ambitious commitment to deliver 17 Roads of National Significance".
"It has no intention at this stage of adding to this list."
- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
