Multiple road works in and around Queenstown currently and coming up may result in delays and some disruption for road users in the area.
Frankton and the town centre are the main areas with the highest impact upon road users, says Mark Stewart, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Maintenance Contract Manager, Central Otago.
Some of the works were planned at night to limit disruption while others were restricted to lane shifts or had detours in place to limit delays for road users during the day.
“We know any works along State Highway 6A (Frankton Road), or within the town centre, affects residents, visitors and freight operators but this is not always something we can avoid,” he says.
Road users will have noticed disruption to the network in recent weeks from multiple contractors. This includes the removal of unstable trees on Frankton Road this week and the closure of Shotover Street to allow for Queenstown Lakes District Council wastewater upgrades.
Shotover Street closure information(external link)
Stop-go sites along SH6A will also be evident in the evenings as the Wakatipu Transport Programme Alliance team identifies service locations along the proposed new arterial route due to start shortly.
These investigations will take about a week to complete.
“There are multiple programmes of work underway in the resort, from Aspiring Highways work on behalf of Waka Kotahi, alongside Queenstown Lakes District Council and other commercial operators,” Mr Stewart says.
Next week Aspiring Highways will be upgrading a retaining wall along State Highway 6A which is close to a number of private residences.
“We need to reduce Frankton Road to one lane to complete this work, so we need to do it in the evenings when traffic volumes are low. This type of work does involve heavy machinery which can create noise and vibration. We will ensure our contractors cease physical work at 12am/ midnight and will try to keep disruption to a minimum.”
This work starts on the evening of Sunday, 20 June and is planned to be finished by approximately midnight on Thursday, June 24.
Stop-go and temporary traffic signals will also be in place in the town centre to support the connection of a water main as part of Queenstown Town Centre Street Upgrade Project. This work, at the intersection of Shotover and Beach Streets is expected to take two weeks.
“We know this can be stressful for those using the network but we urge patience while we upgrade the road for everyone.
“We appreciate everyone’s understanding for any delays that they may encounter and thank them for following the temporary, lowered speeds which are for their safety and the safety of our workers,” Mr Stewart adds. He urged road users to check routes before travelling.
Otago real time traffic information(external link)
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