District:
The crash site following a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of SH6 and Lake Hayes Rd, Central Otago, has been cleared.
The incident was reported to Police at 4.12pm and the road was blocked for about 90 minutes while emergency services responded.
None of the three occupants of the two cars were injured, and the road is now open.
District:
Emergency services are responding to a serious crash at the intersection of SH6 and Lake Hayes Rd, Central Otago.
The two-vehicle collision was reported to Police at 4:12pm.
Both lanes of the road are blocked. Diversions are being put in place and motorists are asked to avoid the area and follow the direction of emergency services staff.
Traffic leaving and heading into Queenstown should take an alternative route via Arthurs Point.
More information will be provided when available.
District:
Police are currently at the scene of an incident on Elizabeth Street in Papakura where a child has been hit by a vehicle.
The incident was reported around 2.20pm.
The child has been transported to hospital in a critical condition.
The road is currently closed and the Serious Crash Unit is attending the scene.
ENDS
Nick Baker/NZ Police
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency advises Stop/Go traffic management with a temporary speed limit of 30km/h will be in place from 7am to 7pm. Minor delays can be expected.
Outside these hours the road will be open for traffic in both directions with temporary speed limits in place.
Work is expected to take three weeks, weather permitting.
As part of the work, the existing road material will be excavated and removed, with new material put in its place.
Contractors will also be replacing a section of SH5 near Webster Road after the Christmas/New Year period. Work is scheduled to start on 10 January 2022 and is expected to take four weeks to complete, weather permitting.
These works are part of the Waka Kotahi spring/summer road maintenance programme, which will see repairs and resurfacing carried out on state highways across the Waikato.
Visit the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner website for the latest information on roadworks, traffic, road closures and detours to help plan your trip.
Waka Kotahi thanks road users for their patience while we carry out these works.
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Maintenance crews will be resealing, upgrading line-markings and completing other tasks, says Robert Choveaux, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Central Otago Senior Network Manager.
Due to the challenging gorge location and the nature of the works, a full closure is unavoidable.
“Everyone who drives, or who has driven through the Kawarau Gorge will understand the challenges we face. There are particularly narrow stretches of road, significant drops to the Kawarau River and multiple winding corners to navigate.
“We want to ensure the safety of our staff and maintenance contractors doing the work – closing the road fully helps us do this. A full closure allows us to manage quality control and focus on the task at hand.”
The full closure is between 10pm and 5am, from Sunday 21 November to Wednesday, 24 November.
However, from 8pm to 10pm, a partial closure will be in place when traffic will be escorted through the gorge by the crew on the ground from two locations at specific times only. (Details below)
“This is when we have the least traffic on our network so it makes sense to minimise disruption for all road users as much as we can.”
Mr Choveaux recognised the works could be an inconvenience for some drivers and thanked road users for their patience ahead of the works.
The Kawarau Gorge, linking Queenstown and Cromwell, SH6, at the bottom of the map. The Crown Range local route between Wanaka and Queenstown is the white line through Cardrona. (Source: Google maps)
Motorists are advised:
The works will be carried out by maintenance contractors, Aspiring Highways, on behalf of Waka Kotahi.
No alternative route is available for heavy or over-dimension vehicles. Passenger vehicles may consider using the Crown Range, however this is a lengthy detour so motorists are advised to plan ahead to avoid disappointment.
Updates on these sites will be provided via Journey Planner
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People who use Frankton Road need to be ready for a slightly slower journey at times as traffic management keeps workers and all road users safe while this investigation work is underway.
The geotechnical investigations will feed into the design of the project which will improve public transport services and enhance walking and cycling connections along Frankton Road, says Tony Sizemore, Principal Transport Planner for Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.
The investigations, which include 25 test pits and bore holes, will run from today, Monday 15 November, until Friday 10 December, between the hours of 7.30am and 6pm. In some locations work will take place in the evenings (8pm to 11pm) and at night (8pm to 5am) to minimise disruption to traffic.
While the test pits in each location are expected to be completed in one day, some of the boreholes may take three days to complete,” says Mr Sizemore.
These works are weather dependent so the programme may alter accordingly.
The test pits and borehole locations along Frankton Road/ SH6A, between Suburb Street and Yewlett Crescent. (Green spots are test pits, blue are bore holes).
“We understand that this work may have an impact on residents living on and near Frankton Road. We’ll be monitoring the effects of the works and will put mitigation measures in place where required,” says Mr Sizemore.
Traffic will be managed at the work sites and include closures of the footpath, road shoulder, accessways, and partial closures of car parks (Frankton Marina and Goldfield Heights bus stop), lane shifts and temporary speed limits. “We thank everyone for their patience while we complete these investigations over the next four weeks.”
The Queenstown Package is being delivered for Waka Kotahi via the Kā Huanui a Tāhuna alliance in partnership with Queenstown Lakes District Council.
The Queenstown Package provides $115 million for a range of projects on SH6 and SH6A, between Ladies Mile, Kawarau Falls Bridge and Queenstown’s town centre.
Traffic updates for the work locations will be provided via:
journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic
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“Waka Kotahi welcomes the decision by an Expert Consenting Panel to approve this part of the project as an important step forward in our plan to provide Southern Auckland with better transport choices for existing communities and the extra 120,000 people who will make the area home over the next 30 years,” says Waka Kotahi National Manager Infrastructure Delivery, Mark Kinvig.
The application for Stage 1B1 of the Papakura to Drury project (shown in orange on the map below) was lodged with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and processed under the COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020.
“It includes a new shared path for people on foot and on bikes, built alongside the northbound lane of SH1 between Papakura and Drury, which will link in with the next stage of the project when it’s consented and the rest of a city-wide network being developed,” says Mark Kinvig.
“The consent also allows a new, raised Drury interchange to enable electric trains to Pukekohe. The interchange will include additional lanes on Great South Road, improved environmental outcomes including stormwater treatment, better access for over-height vehicles and sections of the new shared path.”
“The Papakura to Drury projects sits nicely alongside others which fall under the New Zealand Upgrade Programme’s (NZUP) South Auckland package, which includes three new train stations, Papakura to Pukekohe rail electrification, a new third main rail line, Drury local transport network improvements and a re-scoped northern section of Mill Road focused on safety.”
Waka Kotahi is delivering the New Zealand Upgrade Programme with KiwiRail, the Government’s $8.7 billion transport investment in growing areas across the country.
“Communities can look forward to transport improvements that provide more travel choices, help people get where they’re going safely and grow our economy, while responding to the impacts of travel on the environment,” says Mark Kinvig.
Stage 1A of the Papakura to Drury project (shown in green below) is already well underway, with crews continuing to work safely under Alert Level 3 health and safety guidelines.
These works extend the improvements north of Papakura delivered by the recently completed Southern Corridor Improvements project by adding a third lane in each direction and wide shoulders for future bus services.
New noise walls, safety barriers, lighting and storm water treatments also make up the first part of the project. More on the progress of Stage 1A can be found here:
SH1 Papakura to Drury project update – October 2021
Physical work for Stage 1B1 is expected to start in early 2022 beginning initially with the construction of new bridges to enable electrification of the railway line between Papakura and Pukekohe.
The new interchange will largely be built on the eastern side of the existing interchange to minimise disruption to motorists. Construction of the main interchange will commence in mid-2023.
Consents for Stage 1B2 of the project are expected to be lodged next year. This stage is being consented separately to allow appropriate time for the consideration of the project’s impact on an identified site of cultural significance spanning both sides of the motorway.
Waka Kotahi is working closely with Mana Whenua on this important mahi.
SH1 Papakura to Drury project stages
Waka Kotahi would also like to hear community views on potential infrastructure changes aimed at improving safety on SH3 between New Plymouth and Egmont Village.
“Local people know their roads best so, before we decide on any changes, we’d like to gather as much feedback as we can,” says Director Regional Relationships Linda Stewart.
Waka Kotahi would like locals to share their thoughts on speed limits on the following sections of state highway in Taranaki.
“We’re not proposing any new speed limits at this stage of the review. The feedback we receive will need to be considered alongside a technical assessment for the project. This information will then be used to identify any proposed speed limit changes, which we would then formally consult on with the community,” says Ms Stewart.
In addition, the public is invited to provide feedback on proposed SH3 New Plymouth to Egmont Village safety improvements, which include 8.35km of median barrier along the centre of the road, roundabouts at Mangorei and Kent roads, two other safe turning opportunities and removing right turns out of Junction Road.
The proposed improvements between New Plymouth and Egmont Village are part of a wider review of safety on SH3 from New Plymouth to Hāwera and SH3A. A feasibility study for safety improvements along these sections of highway is currently underway.
The engagement period will run from Monday 15 November to Monday 13 December 2021, through the Waka Kotahi website and a series of drop-in sessions.
“The review of speed limits and proposed infrastructure improvements are part of the New Zealand Road Safety Strategy, Road to Zero 2020–2030, which aims to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads by 40% by 2030,” says Ms Stewart.
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Speed review drop-in sessions |
Speed review and New Plymouth to Egmont Village infrastructure improvements drop-in sessions |
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Saturday 27 November |
Wednesday 1 December |
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Tuesday 30 November |
Monday 6 December |
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Thursday 2 December |
Tuesday 7 December |
Those unable to attend a drop-in session can provide their views online at:
Taranaki speed reviews – SH45, SH44, SH3 and SH3A speed reviews
New Plymouth to Egmont Village proposed safety improvements
People are also able to join one of two Zoom sessions on the speed reviews. These will run from 6pm – 7pm on Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 November 2021. To register, please email email hidden; JavaScript is required