The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has announced its chosen alignment for the second stage of the Christchurch Southern Motorway (CSM2).
NZ Transport Agency Regional State Highways Manager Colin Knaggs says almost all of the selected alignment is within the corridor outlined during consultation carried out last year and between the two route options that were presented at the time.
Mr Knaggs said when completed the Christchurch Southern Motorway would provide a transport solution vital to the city’s recovery and economic growth.
“The motorway will improve access from the south of Christchurch to Lyttelton Port and the Christchurch City Centre, and it will provide improved access to Rolleston, the Izone business centre and other industrial areas in the south of the city enabling the growth of this important economic and employment area.”
The Christchurch Southern Motorway is one of seven Roads of National Significance (RoNS), identified by the Government as vital to enabling economic growth in New Zealand by moving people and freight between and within major population centres more safely and efficiently.
Mr Knaggs said the project would also make travel safer for motorists in the city, both on the motorway itself as well as on local roads.
“This project will reduce the number of vehicles travelling through Templeton and Hornby, making it safer for local residents, particularly children, the elderly, and cyclists while making a more pleasant environment for residents.”
Connections will also be improved for those travelling to Christchurch from Rolleston, Lincoln and West Melton.
Mr Knaggs said the four laning of Main South Road was also part of the community consultation carried out in 2010, and the chosen alignment widens SH1to the west.
“We consulted with the public on alignment options for both of these projects from October to December last year. This generated considerable community feedback which was carefully considered by the project team in selecting the preferred alignment.
“Using the normal environmental, engineering and construction-cost assessments there was little to separate the alignment options. In the end our selection was based on two main factors; potential land use and land cost.”
Mr Knaggs says the project team also considered an alignment to the north (outside the study corridor) at the request of many in the community, but it was found that this alignment would have cost between $15m and $30m more to complete than the chosen option due to land costs. Moving the alignment north would also have used up a large area of future industrial land that would be difficult to replace and may well be needed for the rebuild of Christchurch.
Concerns raised by local residents around the potential noise and visual impacts from the motorway will be addressed through a variety of different measures, Mr Knaggs said.
Public open days are being held this month to give those living the area an opportunity to discuss these plans with the project team and provide their feedback.
Open days are being held on:
The Government has identified seven essential state highway projects linked to New Zealand’s economic prosperity. Called the roads of national significance, or RoNS for short, the NZTA is charged with delivering this programme of state highway improvements within the next 10 years. The RoNS programme represents one of New Zealand’s biggest ever infrastructure investments and is a key part of the Government’s National Infrastructure Plan and Government’s Policy Statement for transport.
The seven RoNS projects are based around New Zealand's five largest population centres. The focus is on moving people and freight between and within these centres more safely and efficiently. Other RoNS may be added in future but currently from north to south the seven projects are: Puhoi to Wellsford - SH1, Completing the Western Ring Route, Auckland - SH16, SH18 and SH20, Victoria Park Tunnel, Auckland - SH1, Waikato Expressway - SH1, Tauranga Eastern Link - SH2, Wellington Northern Corridor - SH1, Christchurch Motorways. More information is available at www.nzta.govt.nz/rons(external link).
