The current six-week winter construction programme for the Transmission Gully motorway will be extended by a further four weeks as Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency continues to negotiate the full cost of the impacts of the Covid-19 shutdown and agree a new completion date for the project with the contractor (Wellington Gateway Partnership) and the builder (CPB HEB Joint Venture).
The six-week winter works programme agreed in late May(external link) will be extended until August 7 whilst Waka Kotahi, WGP and the CPB HEB JV continue discussions on a new completion date and the financial implications of the Covid-19 delays.
The extension of the winter works programme will allow progress to continue on the project by ensuring that work continues through the winter construction season.
Waka Kotahi has agreed to a further advance payment of $5m to cover the costs of the Covid-19 work shutdown and to enable the four-week extension of the winter works programme. This is additional to the advanced interim payment of $14m agreed in May 2020 and consistent with the advance payments related to the Covid-19 shutdown made available on other Waka Kotahi projects(external link).
Waka Kotahi is continuing to negotiate the full cost of the impacts of the Covid-19 shutdown with WGP and the CPB HEB JV for Transmission Gully. Both the $14m and the $5m payments will form part of any final settlement agreement.
“We understand that people are keen to know when the road will be finished, and we are committed to seeing it open at the earliest possible date. The extension of the winter works programme while negotiations continue will help minimise further delays. Waka Kotahi must take a considered approach to making any decisions that involve tax payer money and that is why an agreement on the new opening date and associated costs is taking time,” says Waka Kotahi Transport Services General Manager, Brett Gliddon.
Commercial negotiations on the full impact of Covid-19 are ongoing, and it is not appropriate for Waka Kotahi to make any further comment on these issues until the negotiations are completed.
“We understand the public interest in Transmission Gully and we will announce the new agreed completion date and further information when negotiations are complete,” Mr Gliddon says.
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