Expect to see road crews and traffic managers out and about repairing and re-sealing highways and keeping road users safe around Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes Districts from now onwards, says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).
Please give them a friendly wave, says NZTA. ”They will be working through some extremely hot conditions in coming months and appreciate people building in extra time to reduce stress when the highways are so busy, often with people unfamiliar with the local road layouts,” says Peter Standring, Maintenance Contract Manager with NZTA across the two Central Otago districts.
Police are working closely with the work crews in an endeavour to clamp down on any dangerous behaviour around these work sites.
As well as the NZTA highway work there will also be third party private developer projects underway, which also affect highway travel. With a moratorium on all planned works over the Christmas period, traffic interruptions will be kept to an absolute minimum during this peak time.
Aspiring Highways, on behalf of NZTA, will be delivering road reconstruction and resurfacing projects across the two districts.
Rebuilding shoulder support to a section of road south of the Devil’s Staircase, SH6.
“As daylight hours increase, warmer temperatures and dry air help new seals settle in as intended,” says Mr Standring.
“Overall there is around 50km* of resealing which started late September. Work goes through until the pre-Christmas shut-down, then restarts 13 January through to the end of February.”
Four sites up for pavement renewal are getting a full rehabilitation treatment – combined covering 4.4kms.
All work is funded through the State Highway Maintenance and Pothole Prevention activity classes in the National Land Transport Programme (NLTP).
These major reconstruction projects, all weather dependent, include:
There are three asphalt resurfacing sites covering 500 metres of highway:
“Where traffic volumes are high, as they are around Queenstown/Frankton and Wānaka, we aim to minimise our impact by working at night,” says Mr Standring.
People should expect some disruptions in these locations, which will involve significant traffic management, including partial road closures.
“When we get a run of wet weather, as we have had last week, the timing of these projects will change but we will do our best to keep people informed – through social media sites, electronic signs on the highway and for people living in the vicinity, via newsletters in letterboxes,” he says.
SH85 Kyeburn to Alexandra: November.
SH8 Alexandra to Deadman’s Point: end of November onwards.
SH8 Lindis Pass to Cromwell: late November to mid-December.
SH8A Tarras to Wānaka: 20-22 January.
SH6 Luggate to Parkburn: 22-29 January.
Nevis Bluff, Scrubby Gully spring scaling/rock removal: November, 2024, four to six weeks work.
If there are concerns or questions around these works, road users can contact the Aspiring Highways team at customer@aspiringhighways.co.nz
*100 single lane kms
