The Takitimu North Link project continues to carve impressively through the landscape with the focus shifting to major works at Fifteenth Ave, State Highway 29, and Minden Road, Te Puna key sites from spring.
As planning for the next construction season progresses, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Regional Manager of Infrastructure Delivery for Waikato Bay of Plenty, Jo Wilton, says it’s a good chance to reflect on progress to date – a new aerial flight over the worksite shows significant progress on the 6.8km 4-lane expressway.
Ms Wilton says, “Our team has finished 3 bridges at Cambridge, Wairoa and Minden roads, and had its most productive earthworks season yet – reaching the target of 1,200,000m3 earthworks to date.
“Along the way we’ve had lots of special moments – the blessings of new bridges with local hapū, seeing earthworks crews punch through under the new Wairoa Road overbridge, hosting rangatahi (young people) to learn about the infrastructure industry at the project’s careers expo, and the first 70,000 plants placed in the ground.
“It’s exciting to see work nearing completion on the local road layout at Moffat and Cambridge roads and St Andrews Drive, between Bethlehem and Tauriko. This was a key focus over the past year and is on track to finish late-September. Our crew enjoyed completing some of the finishing touches in this area inviting our neighbours at Adventist School to join in planting plants at Matariki.”
The crew has moved another step closer to a fully connected site with one of 3 bridges over Minden Gully complete, allowing construction vehicles to haul across and keep trucks off SH2. The final piece to connect the whole site, is under Cambridge Road overbridge, with earthworks due to break through here this summer.
While work on structures has continued through the winter months, earthworks paused for warmer weather. Planning for the next construction season is in final stages and from September people will see work ramp up at 3 major works sites through 2025:
Work continues at several other locations on site with remaining bridges under construction at Smiths Farm, Wairoa Awa (River), and Minden Gully. At SH2 Loop Road service relocations and installing environmental controls are in progress and a large culvert being constructed.
People can keep up to date with traffic impacts through our regular bulletins and on the NZTA Waka Kotahi Facebook page. Take extra care by following signs and instructions from our traffic management team.
For more information about the project go to:
Takitimu North Link(external link)
View aerial photos from July 2024(external link)
High resolution photos available on request.
For more information please contact:
Natasha Utting
Media Manager
Mobile: 021 507 990
Email: natasha.utting@nzta.govt.nz