The NZ Transport Agency is asking motorists to take extra care and allow more time for their journeys on Canterbury highways during the next few weeks as work is completed on a number of bridge repair and road works projects.
The Transport Agency’s Journey Manager Lee Wright says the summer resealing and safety improvement programme kicked off early January and will wind up next month. “We appreciate this work has an impact on people’s journeys, in particular their travel times, with speed restrictions, and stop/go traffic control at some sites.
“We are asking for continued patience from motorists as we complete this season’s programme and remind motorists of the importance of slowing down and keeping to the speed limit through the works site.”
Ms Wright says motorists are asked to be considerate of others and to obey the speed restrictions as this not only helps to settle in the new surface but prevents stone chips from flying up onto passing vehicle windscreens.
Work got underway yesterday resealing a 2km section of State Highway 1 (Evans Street) through Timaru, from Jellicoe Street to Waimataitai Street. This work is expected to take until the end of the week to complete and will result in some minor delays for traffic with speed restrictions through the works site.
She says this work completes the Transport Agency’s resealing programme in South Canterbury for this season.
Further north, work also began yesterday widening the sealed shoulders of the passing lanes, 6km north of Ashburton. This work is expected to take five weeks to complete, with the passing lanes closed for the majority of this time. This is part of a larger safety project along 10km of the State Highway 1 north of Ashburton.
“There will be minor delays associated with speed restrictions through the works site,” Ms Wright says.
Just south of the Rakaia township, work continues on the repair and resealing of 2.5kms of SH1. Motorists should expect delays. This work is scheduled for completion next month.
Work is also underway on the strengthening of the rail overbridge at Rakaia, where motorists can expect minor delays through to the end of next month. The overbridge is being strengthened to enable Higher Productivity Motor Vehicles (HPMVs) to travel the route.
Ms Wright says there will be delays of up to 15 minutes on both the Rakaia Bridge on Sunday night and the Rangitata Bridge on Monday night to enable some general maintenance work to be carried out.
For the latest information on what is happening on the state highways: phone 0800 4 HIGHWAYS or visit the website: www.highwayinfo.govt.nz(external link)
For more information contact:
Jan McCarthy
Media Manager - Christchurch
NZ Transport Agency
T: 03 964 2885
M: 021 427 442
E: jan.mcarthy@nzta.govt.nz
The NZ Transport Agency works to create transport solutions for all New Zealanders - from helping new drivers earn their licences, to leading safety campaigns to investing in public transport, state highways and local roads.
