Bay of Plenty increasing traffic congestion in Tauranga. Due to this growth, a new highway network is being planned and constructed in Tauranga to join with its current network spanning on the western side of the city. The New Zealand Transport Agency, in conjunction with Environment Bay of Plenty, Tauranga City and the Western Bay of Plenty District Councils, is planning to build an Eastern Motorway bypassing Te Puke, a Western Motorway bypassing Omokoroa and a smaller Southern Motorway. The Bay of Plenty is represented in several domestic sporting competitions. The Bay of Plenty Rugby Union oversees the Bay of Plenty Steamers, who
Western Bay of Plenty District area that is not part of the district). The district came into being in the local government reorganisation of 1989; with minor modifications to the boundaries, it merged the old Tauranga County and Te Puke Borough. The greatest changes were in the northwest, with Waihi Beach being transferred to the district from the old Ohinemuri County, and in the vicinity of Tauranga City, where some of the hinterland, formerly in the county, was transferred to the city. The wards (for the purposes of electing district councillors) are the following: Western Bay of Plenty District Western Bay of Plenty District is