Work on the Te Rapa section of the Waikato Expressway is progressing at a pace that will enable it to be completed in 2013.
Progress that will become visible to the community in the coming days and weeks includes:
Site Office
The main site office for construction of the Te Rapa Section of the Waikato Expressway is now being occupied by the Te Rapa Alliance project team. The site office entrance will be off Ormsby Lane for the next few months, after that time it will be accessed from Tasman Road.
Trial Embankment
A trial embankment is being built to test for settlement times. The location of the embankment is on the east side of the main rail line (between Onion Road and Bern Road). Ground improvement and testing equipment will be installed, and then a large soil embankment will be constructed. The embankment will be monitored for settlement over the next 6 months.
Fencing
Fencing of land that has been purchased for the Expressway is begining and will be completed over the coming months.
Surveying and Testing
Surveying will take place between now and October for finalisation of design and fencing locations. Avalon Drive will be subject to testing and investigation, to confirm both surface conditions and the exact positions of existing services, so design for new services can be completed.
Avalon Drive Works
Clearance of trees and vegetation on Avalon Drive (between Crawford Street and Gilchrist Street) is scheduled to commence in late August, although the precise timing will be dependant on consents, and winter works approvals from Environment Waikato. Current plans under discussion would see in excess of 100,000 new plantings carried out as part of the Te Rapa Section work, including around 1000 new trees.
From there, the new west side lanes will commence construction. Avalon Drive four-laning will take approximately 12 months to complete.
For more information please contact:
Brian Aspin
Waikato Expressway
Communications and Stakeholder Liaison Manager
T 64 7 958 7416
M 027 554 1145
F 64 7 957 1437
brian.aspin@nzta.govt.nz
www.nzta.govt.nz
Editor’s notes
The Waikato Expressway sections are currently at the stages described below:
The Waikato Expressway will provide for two lanes of traffic in each direction divided by a central barrier with local roads and interchanges generally serviced by bridges and underpasses. From the Bombay Hills to South of Cambridge it will be 102km, some 6km shorter than the current State Highway 1.
The Government has identified seven essential state highways that are linked to New Zealand’s economic prosperity. Called the Roads of National Significance. The NZTA is charged with delivering this programme of state highway improvements within the next 10 years. This 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 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. The projects are ‘lead infrastructure’ – meaning, they encourage economic growth rather than simply responding to it. Currently from north to south the seven projects are: Puhoi to Wellsford - SH1(external link), Completing the Western Ring Route, Auckland(external link) - SH16, SH18 and SH20, Victoria Park Tunnel, Auckland - SH1(external link), Waikato Expressway - SH1(external link), Tauranga Eastern Link - SH2(external link), Wellington Northern Corridor - SH1(external link), Christchurch Motorway(external link)s. More information is available at www.nzta.govt.nz/rons(external link)
