Bypasses for Otaki, Paraparaumu and Waikanae are long overdue. These bottlenecks are a constant annoyance, especially during long weekends. And for Otaki, during any weekend, as people dawdle through trying to find a park for the numerous outlet shops that are now the scurge on a main road.

Please build a proper road, and the sooner the better.

A highway of 4 lanes along the Western Link designation would mean that the Govt organises and pays for this, and the 2 lane would not be built and paid for by locals; and then as well, the locals inherit the present State highway as their local connecting road to Waikanae with no slowing roundabouts thus enabling a fast passage up to 100kmh (being far superior to this 2-lane Western Link). A win/win situation for Kapiti district - so WHY has the Council got blinkers on for an eastern expressway? Incredible BLANK there!!!

I live in Aorangi Rd, Paraparaumu. My partner and I just bought this house last year because we have lived on the coast for most of our lives and love it here, we want a nice home to raise a family. Now we get a pamphlet in the mail telling us that of the 2 main options being considered we would either end up living with a motorway in our front yard, our house value shot and our lovely safe little neighbourhood ruined; or our house ends up having negative equity and we lose it or the Government? buys our home for probably a fraction of its market value ( which wouldn’t be worth much if this proposal goes ahead) and we end up having to buy something less nice perhaps.

Having lived on the coast for most of my life however I do appreciate the need for some improvement in the roading area but what would happen to the current road? Would it still be used, the expensive and relatively new Lindale interchange? I mean the proposed ideas see a large amount of homes destroyed not to mention the cost in lifestyle to those of us who live in the affected area, it would also go through lovely established rural areas, brand new subdivisions, Lindale and Whitireia?

Can the existing highway not be upgraded? Would that not be easier and cheaper? Especially when you take into account the environmental impact, monetary cost and human lives affected…

I for one am very concerned and upset by these prospects and I am not alone.

What about transmission gully? Western link road? If you build an expressway as proposed, however fancy and it is still the only route out of Wellington what happens in event of earthquake/storm etc?

How would you like your home destroyed?

Option 1 avoiding all town centres is the only logical option. You can't put a 4-lane highway through Waikanae that's just plain crazy! Imagine the bottlenecks!! Think of the pollution brought into what is barely a village. Take it through the countryside where fewer people will be affected.

I would like to say to everyone in Kapiti. Please have your say through the submission form. There are numerous family’s affected by the proposed WLR, these people have been wondering when it will be built and how long before it goes from 70 Km\Hr local road to 100 Km\Hr bypass. The government has come up with what I think are 2 reasonable concepts. Both offer what the community has been asking for, a second bridge over the Waikanae River and a local link road between Waikanae and Paraparaumu.

Thank you Minister. Let's get going. Option 2. Get the job done and dusted.

The only reason that this is an issue is because everyone has spent six decades talking about it. The US marines offered to do Transmission Guly for us during the Second World War but narrow mindedness at the time stopped that in it's tracks. Kapiti roading is woeful and it's no longer funny. No one is suggesting turning you into Las Vegas, it's about improving things for you. As for the comment by Thomas that slow driving saves on accidents, my friend, your logic is way out, in this case. If you drive at 100-110 kph, assuming appropriate conditions, you reduce frustration and everyone drives in a reasonable fashion. Doing 65-70 and restricting flow on the open road is illegal.

The expressway is needed. I guess the next stage is to ensure all those impacted are sorted out as soon as is reasonably possible. I think it unfortunate that KCDC have favored rhetoric over action and left the Govt with no real alternatives.

It is painfully clear that the process should be the issue. There have been endless convolutions of the coast highway/link. Of the many proposals none have stuck. The reason is because the process has never been done in a thoughtful way. All the the changes in plans act as an indictment of how the government is conducting business. This is very wasteful and causes a great deal of disenfranchisement. How many people will come to meetings that take place over the same issue for the tenth time with no finality?????

"The people who complain about this new road are the cause why we need it in the first place.And by that i mean the one's that drive between 65-70kph,having endless queue's behind them,with the lack of regard to other motorists.If the traffic flowed better,delays and congestion will at least be reduced."

Lack of regard? Who are you kidding. The chances of death at 90-110 kph are vastly greater than at 65-70. The slower drivers are the smarter drivers who truly have a higher regard for their fellow humans whilst the bumper-to-bumper crowd are no better than thugs who shove a shotgun in your face.

And slower drivers consume less foreign petroleum and keep our national trade deficit down.