Construction has finished on the NZ Transport Agency's State Highway 1 Foxton South Curves safety project, enabling safer and easier journeys for motorists just in time for the Christmas holidays.
The $4m project eases sharp curves, widens the road, and flattens the roadside slopes on the 2.7km stretch of highway immediately south of Foxton. The curves had a high crash history, particularly involving single vehicle crashes where the driver has lost control on a tight, narrow curve.
Construction began in February and has finished on schedule and within budget. NZTA Regional Director Jenny Chetwynd and Regional Manager Errol Christiansen today celebrated the completion of the project by hosting an onsite visit with Horowhenua Mayor Brendan Duffy, Regional Land Transport Committee Chairman Bruce Gordon, members of the committee and the Horowhenua District Council, and local landowners.
“This project will make motorists’ journeys on this strategically crucial stretch of highway noticeably safer,” says Mr Christiansen.
“Not only have we ironed out the sharp curves, making it easier for drivers to remain on the road, but we’ve also greatly reduced the steepness of the slopes, making them much more forgiving.”
“We’re thrilled to have this project completed ahead of Christmas, and motorists travelling through here on their summer holidays will notice it’s a much more pleasant and safe journey in and out of Foxton. It’s also well complemented by new passing lanes we’ve put in both north and south of the project.”
“I’d like to thank Brendan Duffy, the Regional Land Transport Committee, and the Horowhenua District Council, who all helped ensure this project got over the start line, and we’re thrilled to now be here at the finishing line.”
“We’d also like to thank Higgins Contractors, who did a great job getting the project completed in such a short amount of time, all while keeping disruption to traffic to a minimum.”
Horowhenua Mayor Brendan Duffy says the project has been a brilliant use of regional land transport funds.
“This project has is a huge improvement not only for Foxton, but for the whole region and for all road users on State Highway 1. It’s an important stretch of highway, and this project has made it safer and much more user-friendly,” says Mr Duffy.
The Foxton South Curves project is one of a number of projects that the NZ Transport Agency is building to improve safety on strategically important north-south routes through the lower North Island. Other major safety improvements are the SH1 Ohingaiti – Makohine Realignment south of Taihape and the SH4 Okura Realignment on the Parapara Highway between Wanganui and Raetihi.
