The consented design for the State Highway 2 Melling interchange has been revised alongside Te Wai Takamori o Te Awa Kairangi Alliance to identify where improvements could be made.
This type of innovation and improvement is normal practice of the ‘Interim Project Alliance Agreement’ (IPAA), where we work with the Alliance to review the project’s design, plan how it will be built, and find opportunities to improve value for money.
The revised concept design (pictured below) provides better access to/from the state highway, Lower Hutt and Western Hills by building a grade separated interchange and removing the existing Melling traffic lights.
It also includes new and improved walking and cycling paths, better connections for residents and businesses on Tirohanga and Harbour View roads, and better access to public transport (with the relocation of the Melling train station and its park and ride facilities.
An artist’s impression of what the Melling Interchange will look like.
Other benefits of the revised design include:
- less congestion/more efficient travel during peak periods
- reduced number and length of pedestrian crossings on the interchange when travelling between Lower Hutt and the Western Hills, improving safety, and helping traffic move along more efficiently
- less environmental impact by reducing the amount of vegetation clearance and slope cuts in the Western Hills, alongside fewer retaining walls and a smaller bridge footprint.
The interchange is part of the SH2 Melling transport improvements, which are being delivered by NZ Transport Agency, together with Te Wai Takamori o Te Awa Kairangi Alliance (AECOM and Fletcher Construction).
It is part of the wider Te Wai Takamori o Te Awa Kairangi programme, alongside flood protection upgrades and city centre infrastructure delivered by local and regional councils.
We expect the IPAA to continue until December 2024. The Project Alliance Agreement (PAA) will then be signed, with construction scheduled to begin in early 2025.
To view the reference design and learn about other benefits of the revised interchange design, visit: www.teawakairangi.co.nz/mellingimprovements(external link)
Project map
View larger printable design map of the revised Melling Interchange [PDF, 200 KB]
