The final piece of surfacing work on the Longswamp section of the Waikato Expressway gets underway from Monday 10 February.
The northbound lanes will receive the stone mastic asphalt that is already in place on the south-bound lanes.
Traffic has been on all four lanes of the 5.9km Longswamp project since before Christmas, but a speed restriction of 70km/h has been in place on the northbound lanes ahead of the final smooth surfacing and line marking.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Waikato Portfolio Manager Darryl Coalter says the work will require all traffic to share the southbound lanes at 70km/h, which may lead to minor delays.
“The asphalt work will be completed in early April, when all lanes will be back in use at 100km/h.
“This will mark the official completion of the Longswamp section, which has seen the old two and three-lane section of State Highway 1, which had a poor safety record, widened to four lanes, and local road networks strengthened.”
Mr Coalter says getting all four lanes open for the holiday season has greatly helped traffic flows through the area.
“We have waited until the long weekends are over and traffic flows are a little lighter before undertaking this final piece of work.”
With the Huntly section scheduled for completion later in February and final works underway at Longswamp, only the Hamilton section, which is scheduled to open late next year, is still to be completed in the 102km Waikato Expressway.
www.nzta.govt.nz/longswamp(external link)
Looking south from the start of Longswamp section, showing Hampton Downs and Spring Hill Corrections Facility.
A bird’s-eye view of the Hampton Downs interchange in the Longswamp section.
Looking north above the Te Kauwhata Interchange which is the southern start point for Longswamp.
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