Monthly Archives: September 2021

SH73 Arthur’s Pass route linking Canterbury and the West Coast aiming to open 6pm tonight

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The highway was closed before 2pm and is expected to reopen by 6pm tonight, says Waka Kotahi Maintenance Contract Manager Steve Rusbatch.

“Thankfully the crews with the right machinery were all at hand because of the ongoing work to repair the culvert damaged by the mid-winter storms,” he says.

Waka Kotahi thanks all road users for their patience if their trips were disrupted or diverted this afternoon onto the Lewis Pass alternate alpine route.

Yellow digger removing soil around broken culvert

Work underway late this afternoon to fill in the hole caused by a broken culvert under the highway. SH73 should be ready to reopen to a single lane tonight around 6pm.

Yellow earthworks machine compacting road over repaired culvert

The Craigieburn hole almost fully compacted and ready to take traffic again.

The Craigieburn Cutting is north of Castle Hill and south of Lake Pearson.

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Bay Link night works this week

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Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency advises sheet piles and drainage will be installed on the corner of State Highway 2/Maunganui Road and Matapihi Road, near Golf 360. A temporary retaining wall will also be constructed near the underpass entrance on the Matapihi side.

This work will take place between 7.00pm and 5.00am on Wednesday and Thursday (finishing Friday morning).

Lane closures will be in place on State Highway 2, Girven Road and Matapihi Road while work is underway. Anyone travelling during these times is asked to drive with caution through the project site, reduce their speed and follow the directions provided on traffic management staff and signs.

Contractors will be using the smallest possible machinery to complete the job, in order to minimise disruption to nearby residents and businesses. In this instance, an excavator with a sheet piling attachment, trucks and a roller will be used. Nearby residents may hear or feel the machinery operating.

In the event of poor weather or other unforeseen circumstances, work may be moved to the next suitable night/s.

People are encouraged to visit the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner website for the most up to date information on the works

Waka Kotahi thanks local residents, businesses and motorists for their patience while we undertake this important work.

Find out more about the Bay Link project and subscribe to updates

 

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Snow way! Spring snow for SH1 Desert Rd and SH5 Napier-Taupo Rd

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Waikato System Manager Cara Lauder says the Metservice is forecasting snow for State Highway 1 on the Desert Road summit this evening, before settling lower, down to 700m, overnight. Showers and snow should clear early Tuesday afternoon.

“Showers may turn to snow at the summit of State Highway 5 Napier-Taupo Road for a time Tuesday morning and early afternoon.

“Motorists should be prepared for winter driving conditions, despite the move to spring earlier this month.

“Road closures are possible. Plan ahead, allow extra time for your journeys and drive to the road and weather conditions. Maintain a greater following distance between your vehicle and the one in front, slow down and be prepared for unexpected hazards.”

Other state highways in the Central Plateau may also be affected.

Ms Lauder says motorists can prepare by ensuring their vehicles are safe, roadworthy and well equipped.

“Make sure you have a safe spare tyre, your lights, brakes and windscreen-wipers are all working, and you have a clean windscreen inside and out. Ensure your cell phone is well charged and carry a car phone charger or power bank. Blankets, snacks and bottles of water are also a good idea, in case of an emergency or breakdown.”

Motorists can visit the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner website for up to date information on road closures, detours, road works, traffic and delays

For the latest Severe Weather Information, including Road Snowfall Warnings, visit the Warnings and watches page on the MetService website

The Waka Kotahi website contains more easy tips for safe driving in winter conditions

Winter driving tips

  • Check weather and travel conditions on highways before you start your trip and on breaks throughout your journey – use journeys.nzta.govt.nz or call 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49).
  • Ensure your car is safe and equipped: spare tyre, warrant of fitness up-to-date, lights, brakes and wind-wipers all working, clean windscreen inside and out, check tyre treads to ensure good grip.
  • If you are travelling long distances, share the driving and have regular breaks.
  • Wear your seat belt throughout the journey and check your passengers have theirs clicked in too.
  • Driving on roads that are exposed to snow and ice can be treacherous, so slow down and drive to the conditions, not the allowable/legal speed limit. Increase the following distance between you and the vehicle ahead.
  • Be prepared when travelling in case of delays on the road, particularly in alpine conditions. Make sure you have warm clothes/food/water/charged mobile phone. In an emergency, phone 111. Bear in mind some parts of the highway have no cell coverage.
  • Learn about winter driving, including how to get your vehicle ready and if you are driving in an area where chains may be needed, practise putting them on before you go so you are not caught out.
    Winter driving tips

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SH73, Arthur’s Pass route linking Canterbury and the West Coast closed

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  • The Lewis Pass route, SH7, via Waipara and Reefton, is the open, alternative route. Extra care, given the icy conditions, is required on all alpine routes this week.

Contractors working to repair a culvert beneath SH73 this afternoon uncovered a void which affects the single lane that was open for traffic while the repair work is underway.

“This requires emergency work today,” says Jessica McFarlane, Network Manager for Waka Kotahi. “We will update on the proposed reopening time at 5 pm tonight, with staff on site undertaking investigations this afternoon.”

“We appreciate this is a sudden and unexpected closure for daily SH73 drivers and thank everyone for their patience while we work through this repair.”

The Craigieburn Cutting is north of Castle Hill and south of Lake Pearson.

Map showing the location of the closure on SH73 at the Craigieburn Cutting area.

Map of road closure on SH73

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Te Ahu a Turanga wins national diversity award

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The Alliance took out the top prize in the Mātauranga Māori category for small to medium organisations. The annual Diversity Awards NZ™ celebrate excellence in workplace diversity and inclusion, across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Waka Kotahi Regional Manager Infrastructure Delivery, Lonnie Dalzell, says the award recognises the project’s approach to iwi partnership, which is changing the way infrastructure projects will happen in the future.

Iwi are partners in the Te Ahu a Turanga Alliance, which comprises Rangitāne o Manawatū, Rangitāne o Tamaki nui-a-Rua, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Tāmaki nui-a-Rua, Te Runanga o Raukawa (Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga and Nga Kaitiaki ō Ngāti Kauwhata), along with Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, HEB Construction, Fulton Hogan, Aurecon and WSP.

“We took a different approach to partnering with iwi on Te Ahu a Turanga. Iwi have been involved from the very beginning and have been integral to the design and consent of the project, as well as helping the team to understand the region and what is important to people here,” Mr Dalzell says.

“This project is more than just a road; it’s about reconnecting people and places, past, present and future; and leaving our environment better than we found it. Te Ao Māori influences everything that happens on the project, and how we look after our people.

“We have an iwi directorate, Te Pūtahi, which ensures our partnership objectives are met – this model is a first for Aotearoa New Zealand.”

Alliance staff and their whānau also have access to te reo Māori classes provided through a partnership with UCOL, and the project’s health and wellbeing strategy is based on Te Whare Tapa Whā, a holistic Māori model of wellbeing documented by Tā Mason Durie.

Mr Dalzell says the partnership is more than a single initiative: “Ehara tēnei toa i te toa takitahi engari he toa takitini – this success is not the work of one, but the work of many.

“The partnership is the heart of the project – without it, the road wouldn’t be happening. This award acknowledges the mahi of so many people that have got this major project off to an excellent start, and motivates us to keep working to rethink what partnership can look like.”

Watch the Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway story on the Diversity Works NZ website

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Serious crash – SH 2, Remutaka Hill

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District:

Wellington

Police are responding to a serious crash along SH 2 on Remutaka Hill.

Emergency services were notified of the single-vehicle collision at around 9:42am.

The vehicle is reported to have gone off the side of the road and overturned.

The sole occupant of the vehicle reportedly has serious injuries and a helicopter has been dispatched.

One lane is open to allow traffic to pass. However, motorists are asked to avoid the area if possible as delays are likely.

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre

Plan ahead for Rosedale Road Closures

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Rosedale Road will be closed between Tawa Drive and Triton Drive from 8pm on Thursday 30 September until 5am on Tuesday 5 October, so our team can remove the old SH1 Rosedale Road bridge abutments.

Removal of the old bridge abutments is the final piece of work to be completed in the upgrade to Rosedale Road bridge after the road was lowered in early 2019.

A detour route for vehicles will be in place via Tawa Drive and Hugh Green Drive while access for those travelling on foot or by bike will remain. (See below)

Drivers are advised to plan their journey, follow detour signs and drive carefully.

For those travelling on the 884 bus route, the stop opposite 121 Rosedale Road (4250) will be closed. The bus stops at 19 Triton Drive (4145) and on Rosedale Road opposite Henry Rose Place (4240) will remain open.

“We were originally going to carry out this work later in the year but as there will be less vehicles on the road during alert level 3, we have brought forward our programme to help minimise disruption to drivers,” says Waka Kotahi Project Manager Simon Paton.

Work on NCI has recommenced under strict COVID-19 guidelines. We’ll be documenting the health and safety of workers, maintaining safe physical distancing, cleaning of all plant, tools and vehicles, and quickly and accurately tracing people if they come into contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19.

Once completed, NCI will provide a transport upgrade for the Albany and North Shore community, with the Northern Busway being extended from Constellation to Albany Station. It includes a new motorway connection between SH1 and SH18 and will open up access to the Western Ring Route and travel to the airport.

It will deliver more than 7km of walking and cycling paths and a wide range of local road and park connections. Work is planned to be completed by the end of 2022.

For more information visit www.nzta.govt.nz/nci or call the project freephone number 0800 624 776.

Map showing the closure location on Rosedale Road and the detour route.

Rosedale Road detour route map

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Serious crash – Hornby, Christchurch

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District:

Canterbury

Emergency services are at the scene of a serious crash in Hornby, Christchurch.

Police were alerted to the two vehicle crash on Halswell Junction Road near the intersection of Shands Road at around 7:40pm.

Initial indications are, there are serious injuries.

Specific information, including the number of people involved and their injuries is yet to be determined.

Cordons and diversions are in place.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area and expect delays.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre