More than 1500 cubic metres of earth has been removed and almost 300 tonnes of concrete poured in the construction of Taranaki’s newest pedestrian underpass.
The Princess Street roundabout and underpass has now officially opened as part of Te Ara Tūtohu: State Highway 3 (SH3) Waitara to Bell Block safety improvements.
Between 2017 and 2021, 17 crashes were recorded at the Princess Street/SH3 intersection.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Senior Project Manager Calvin Rorke says he’s grateful to the contractors who’ve worked on the project and to the communities alongside SH3 and road users for their support – without which the construction wouldn’t have gone so smoothly.
“It’s been a special project to work on and NZTA has partnered with New Plymouth District Council and Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa iwi to develop safety solutions for this busy intersection.
“The pedestrian underpass is a unique feature of the area and provides a safe place for people to cross the road – including students walking to and from nearby Waitara High School.
“The construction of the roundabout and underpass involved completing a significant amount of work, a lot of which won’t be visible to people using the roundabout or the underpass.
“Before we could begin work on the roundabout itself, work on the stormwater systems took place to cater for future growth in the area and to ensure that water would drain away quickly from the road. This involved digging five metres into the ground to install new pipes.
“Once treated, the water is safely discharged into the stream in Manukorihi Park, which eventually discharges into the Waitara River,” says Mr Rorke.
“A stormwater outfall has also been constructed at the river which will safely discharge excess water in the event of heavy rain – preventing the wetland swale from flooding.
“Completing this part of the project is a significant milestone – however it’s only part of the larger plan to create a safer, more efficient section of State Highway 3. We understand this work can, at times, be disruptive for road users and we really do appreciate people’s understanding.”
Te Ara Tūtohu, the $82m safety upgrade to SH3 between Waitara and Bell Block, is delivering new roundabouts at the intersections of Princess Street, Waitara Road, SH3A (Mountain Road) and De Havilland Drive, along with other improvements that will improve the safety and efficiency of the highway.
Construction on the roundabout at Waitara Road is now underway, with the roundabouts at SH3A and De Havilland Drive due to start in 2025.
For further information about the SH3 Waitara to Bell Block safety improvements project and to sign up to email updates visit nzta.govt.nz/w2bb(external link).
