geeves wrote: I dont like it either but can see more logic in it It would make Invercargil more important on the tourist route It would bypass Queenstown completely and it would cut hours off a trip to the west coast from the southern half of the island.
Hmmm why would you want Invercargill on the tourist route? It's a dismal place.
It won't cut down travel time for the southern half. Only from some areas in the extreme south west.
EG it would be a longer trip from Dunedin via that road.
Most tourists heading to Milford will want to go to Queenstown as well.
However you could skip down the coast to Milford then back up to Queenstown/Wanaka and up through the lakes.
That would be a good trip