A new southbound lane between Newmarket and Greenlane on the Southern Motorway has officially begun construction after a celebration event this morning.
A new southbound lane between Newmarket and Greenlane on the Southern Motorway has officially begun construction after a celebration event this morning.
Transport Minister Hon. Steven Joyce announced the start of construction on The NZ Transport Agency’s SH1 Newmarket to Greenlane Auxiliary Lane project. Also joining Minister Joyce was Mayor of Auckland City John Banks.
The $18m project will see a new 1.7 kilometre southbound lane constructed between the Market Road off-ramp and the Greenlane Interchange, bringing the total to four lanes. The lane will increase capacity and help to reduce congestion across the central motorway system.
The project is scheduled to be completed in February 2011 and later that year will tie into the new four-lane southbound Newmarket Viaduct – to provide four lanes south from the city to Greenlane. The extra lane will also help to better manage traffic flows from the city and prevent a bottleneck stacking up beyond the new viaduct.
NZTA’s Regional Director for Auckland and Northland Wayne McDonald says the auxiliary lane has been designed to tie in with the completion of the four southbound lanes of the Newmarket Connection.
“By the end of 2011, it will help to relieve the congestion bottlenecks that occur on New Zealand’s busiest section of motorway – from the city through the Central Motorway Junction to Greenlane, by ensuring at least four southbound lanes over this distance,” he says.
Three metre high permanent concrete noise walls are a major part of the project and will be erected alongside the new lane. They will provide a visual and sound barrier to improve the environment for local Remuera and Greenlane residents. The lane will be built within the existing motorway shoulder and crash barriers will also be installed to improve safety. Extensive landscaping and urban design elements will also feature along the route.
The old moveable barrier from the Auckland Harbour Bridge will be transferred to this area and used as the project progresses, to separate the motorway lanes when the work is taking place.
Construction work is starting today by the NZTA’s chosen contractor for the project – Downer EDI Works. Temporary barriers and new lane markings are being put in place on the southbound lanes from the Newmarket Viaduct to the Greenlane Interchange. A lower speed limit of 70km/h is also in place.
The work complements and extends the lane changes and 70km/h speed limit already in place over the Newmarket Viaduct since August - as part of the Newmarket Connection: Viaduct Replacement project.
The southbound lanes between the Newmarket Viaduct and the Greenlane southbound off-ramp will be closed for two nights between 11pm and 5am on Monday 5 October and Tuesday 6 October, to put the changes in place. Signposted detours will be in place. In the event of bad weather, the work will take place on the next fine night.
For more information please contact:
Ewart Barnsley
Auckland Media Manager
NZ Transport Agency
T 64 9 368 2142
M 027 213 7616
E ewart.barnsley@nzta.govt.nz
