Focus Te Puke says it's great news a quicker commute between the Eastern and Western Bays, has been
fast-tracked.

The Transport Minister says construction on the Tauranga Eastern Link will begin in February.

Tolling will be used to pay for the 455 million dollar four-lane highway from Paengaroa to Te Maunga.

It will cut nearly 24 minutes from travel times, and should be open by 2016.

Focus Te Puke Chairwoman Karyl Gunn says it's a great thing for the town.

She says it's a double-edged sword, as Te Puke has over 20,000 vehicles a day travelling through the main street.

She anticipates the Eastern link is going to help take out the trucks, but still maintain a lot of that through-traffic with the cars.