Canterbury package

The package of projects in Canterbury helps manage growth by providing residents with safer and better travel choices, as well as improving freight links to support economic growth and the opening of the Christchurch Southern Motorway through to Rolleston.

About $1.4 billion has been spent during the last decade on the Christchurch Motorways project; the last two of these motorways, the Southern Motorway and Northern Corridor, scheduled to open this year.

The NZ Upgrade Programme includes $159 million for three projects to support growth in the south-west sector of Christchurch and neighbouring Selwyn district, where there has been significant residential and industrial growth, including the development of two inland ports. Safe, reliable and efficient access is needed to support all the ways people want to move about, and forecast growth in freight volumes.

Rolleston

In Rolleston, $60 million will be spent to provide safer and better access from the residential area across State Highway 1 (SH1) and the Main South Line (railway) to the industrial zone. A new two-lane overbridge will be built to connect the two areas and provide improved walking and cycling facilities. It will cross SH1 from Rolleston Drive to Hoskyns Road.

Four intersections along SH1 between Burnham and Rolleston will also be upgraded, with a range of safety improvements to reduce deaths and serious injuries and better manage the forecast future growth in traffic volumes along this section of the highway.

Work on this project will begin in 2022 and take three years to complete.

Brougham Street

In Christchurch city, $40 million will be spent on State Highway 76 (Brougham Street) to improve safety, provide better travel choice and support a more reliable freight route through to Lyttelton Port.

The work includes creating prioritised north-south public transport routes; safer, dedicated walking and cycling access across the busy highway; and ensuring there is better east-west traffic flow and capacity to keep freight moving.

Residents will be provided with a more reliable bus service and safer shared paths, making it easier to leave their cars at home and enjoy a stress-free commute into the central city. It will help reduce central city traffic congestion and alleviate pressure on the busy highway which is a main freight route.

This project will provide priority for buses and walking and cycling across the corridor and for vehicles carrying multiple people and/or freight along the corridor. Intersection improvements will make it safer for communities that flank the highway.

Work is expected to get underway late 2022 and take two years to complete.

Halswell Road

Two dedicated bus lanes will be built on a highuse section of State Highway 75, connecting the Christchurch suburb of Halswell with the central city.

The $25 million project will add much needed capacity to the public transport network in the high growth south-west sector of the city.

The new bus lanes will run 2.5km along the highway, and help manage growth and provide transport choice for those commuting to work in the city centre.

Work will begin in 2022 and take 18 months to complete.

SH75 Halswell Road improvements

Rural intersection safety improvements

Three intersection safety improvements will be completed in growing rural town centres throughout Canterbury. Under the $34 million package, traffic signals will be installed in Tinwald, Ashburton and West Melton to allow safer access for pedestrians and cyclists, particularly vulnerable school children. These intersection improvements will improve safety and access for these town centres and travel options for local residents.

These safety improvements will be installed at SH1/ Lagmhor Rd in Tinwald, SH1/Walnut Avenue in Ashburton, SH73/Weedons Ross Rd in West Melton.

SH73/Weedons Ross Rd, West Melton improvements