Changes have been made to the traffic management in place on Gladstone Road Bridge as part of the bridge widening project to create a shared walking and cycling path.
The shared path is part of Gisborne’s Urban Cycleways Programme, which aims to get more people on their bikes by developing a walking and cycling network around and across Gisborne that provides safe connections between schools, recreation areas, business centres and residential areas.
Access from Gladstone Road Bridge straight through to Gladstone Road has been restored in response to community feedback that the detour around the Customhouse Street roundabout was having unintended consequences.
“This is a big project for the region,” Tairāwhiti Roads General Manager Dave Hadfield says. “We want to work with the community through any teething issues to get this right.”
“Safety for all road users and our contractors is the top priority, and this may result in road users having to do things differently throughout the construction period.”
Mr Hadfield advises the community to keep to the 30 kilometre per hour speed limit which is in place for the safety of construction workers, drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.
“This is one of the region’s busiest roads, with 21,000 vehicles using the bridge per day, so it’s crucial that drivers slow down and remain alert while passing through the construction site.”
Tairāwhiti Roads has been urging locals to expect delays and to plan extra time for their journeys throughout the duration of this project, which is scheduled for completion in January 2019.
Safety improvements have also been made for CBD-bound pedestrians, who will be diverted under the bridge to the upstream footpath. Extra lighting will be installed under the bridge and a temporary path has been installed to improve access to the footpath.
The bridge is being widened by 1.5 metres to create a three metre shared path, as part of Gisborne’s Urban Cycling Programme aimed at getting more locals on their bikes.
Pre-fabricated cantilevered concrete slabs will be put together to extend the width. A new, but identical (because of the bridge’s Pouhere Taonga Heritage NZ status), concrete balustrade will then be installed.
More information about the project, including answers to frequently asked questions, can be found at www.nzta.govt.nz/gladstone-road-bridge
