The NZ Transport Agency is set to begin investigating options to improve the Ngauranga to Aotea Quay section of the Wellington Northern Corridor road of national significance, following its awarding of the contract for the project.
The project aims to ease congestion and smooth traffic flows as well as improve safety, route security and provide greater journey time reliability on this section State Highway 1 (SH1), between Ngauranga and the Aotea Quay on/off-ramps. The NZTA has appointed Fletcher Construction and their lead consultant Beca to carry out the investigation, design and construction of the project.
During the first phase of the project the NZTA will work with Fletcher Construction and Beca to determine the best options for the project taking into account timings, costs and environmental concerns. It is expected that the NZTA will seek public input during this phase.
The target completion date for the Ngauranga to Aotea Quay project is 2016.
Central Regional Director Jenny Chetwynd says that improvements to this section of SH1 will be part of the first phase of the Wellington Northern Corridor programme – together with the MacKays to Peka Peka and Peka Peka to Otaki expressways.
“The planned work on the Wellington Northern Corridor, from Wellington Airport to Levin is expected to be substantially completed by 2020,” she said.
The Wellington Northern Corridor is one of seven roads of national significance identified by the Government and due for completion within the next 10 years.
The highway programme represents one of New Zealand’s biggest ever infrastructure investments and is a key part of the Government’s National Infrastructure Plan and the Government Policy Statement on Land Transport Funding.
The Ngauranga to Wellington Airport Corridor has been identified as a key strategic corridor in the Greater Wellington Regional Transport Strategy, and this project will contribute towards the delivery of this strategy by improving congestion, safety and freight efficiency. The strategy identifies a number of further long term measures to improve this corridor, including addressing rising travel demand, improving passenger transport, and enhancing access and safety for pedestrians and cyclists.
