Three more reinforced concrete bridge beams are due to be placed across State Highway 2 at the Haywards Interchange, Upper Hutt on the night of Monday 22 August.
NZ Transport Agency Highway Manager Neil Walker says State Highway 2 will be reduced to one lane each way, just north of State Highway 58, from around 6.30pm on Monday night. The placement of the beams will require a series of rolling approximately 30-minute road closures on State Highway 2 from 10pm through the early hours of Tuesday morning.
The construction team will be installing a 32 metre, 70 tonne beam from 10pm, which completes the first of two traffic bridges across the highway. The other two beams will form the beginning of the second bridge.
Bridge beam being placed at Haywards Interchange
“We’ve timed the lifts to minimise disruption to traffic. An alternative route will be available and well-signed. The alternative route is not suitable for large vehicles, which will need to wait for the short time that the road is closed. We appreciate motorists’ patience while the operation to manoeuvre the beams into place is carried out,” Mr Walker says.
“The site will look different on Tuesday morning with more beams in place, so we are reminding motorists to keep their eyes on the road and watch following distances.”
Mr Walker says high winds are the only weather conditions which will prevent the bridge beam lifts going ahead as planned.
The remaining three beams to complete the second bridge are due to be lifted into place on Tuesday 30 August, and will require similar traffic management.
An additional four beams will be used for the pedestrian overbridge linking Annabell Grove to Manor Park railway station, however this can be constructed without the need for full road closures. This work is expected to take to place in September.
The interchange is scheduled to be complete in June 2017.
A short timelapse of the recent bridge beam placement is available to watch.
