Traffic movements around Wintec to alter as Waikato Expressway Te Rapa section progress continues

Progress on the construction of the Te Rapa Section of the Waikato Expressway will mean major changes to traffic movements from next week as the new State Highway is connected to the existing road network.

The works at the Gilchrist interchange at the Northern end of Hamilton’s Avalon Drive by Wintec, are almost complete, and there will be several stages to fully integrate the new interchange with the existing road network, says NZTA Principal Project Manager Richard Young.

Construction of the 7.2km Te Rapa section of the Waikato Expressway began in October 2010 and is due for completion in December this year, five months ahead of schedule.

Mr Young said opening the Gilchrist interchange was another exciting milestone for the project.

“Construction of the Te Rapa section has benefited from optimal weather conditions and as a result we are in advance of our construction schedule and look set to open the completed Te Rapa section of the Waikato Expressway to traffic before Christmas,” he said.

“This means we are now at the business end of this section of project when the general public will begin to see major changes in their travel movements as we begin to move them on to the completed interchanges.”

The changes required for moving traffic on to the Gilchrist interchange that will directly affect motorists are:

Monday March 12 - Refer to diagrams A and B below

• Northbound SH1 traffic will be switched under the new interchange
• Right turning in and out of Gilchrist Street to Wintec will no longer be available.
• A long detour using Te Rapa, Tasman and Foreman Roads will be necessary
• No change to Southbound SH1 traffic  

• Diagram A (PDF, 183 KB, 1 page)
• Diagram B (PDF, 273 KB, 1 page)

Saturday March 17 - Refer to attached diagram C

• Motorists heading south from Wintec/Gilchrist Street will  be able to use the interchange avoiding the long detour

• Diagram C (PDF, 132 KB, 1 page)

Monday March 19

• All Southbound SH1 traffic will be switched on to the new interchange

Thursday March 29 - Refer attached diagram D

• Night works will be carried out to complete the last connection from the Gilchrist Interchange to Avalon Drive
• From 7pm-6.30am, northbound SH1 traffic will detour at Foreman Road.

• Diagram D (PDF, 227 KB, 1 page)

Speed restrictions will be in place for the duration of the works which will be weather dependant.  Electronic message boards will also be installed to display up to date traffic information and real time updates will be available on the Waikato Expressway Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/waikatoexpressway (external link)

“We thank the public in advance for the patience they have demonstrated over recent months as we have four-laned  Avalon Drive, and thank them in advance for any inconvenience these completion works will cause,” said Mr Young.