After a flurry of backstage activity, the curtain is being raised for onsite activity on New Plymouth’s State Highway 3 Vickers to City project.
The $19m project, which will improve traffic flow, safety and walking and cycling in and out of the New Plymouth city centre, got underway last month but this Sunday the public will get their first peek at work happening on the ground.
Regional highways manager David McGonigal says the Transport Agency will begin clearing trees and vegetation to create a site yard on Monday which will act as a construction base for the project.
“We’ve been beavering away behind the scenes for a few weeks now, such as casting the moulds for the bridge beams and finalising our construction and traffic management plans. This is all important preparation, but we’re chomping at the bit to get cracking. Now we’re ready to pull on some steel-cap boots and strap on our hard hats.”
“Construction will really ramp up a gear over spring and summer. People will soon see the diggers and dozers stir into life and the project will start to take shape before their eyes.”
“Fulton Hogan crews will be managing construction, and their friendly faces will be increasingly common as the project rolls out.”
Mr McGonigal is advising drivers to allow more travel time on Sunday because the removal of trees and vegetation near Waiwhakaiho Bridge will cause some disruption to traffic. Mr McGonigal the work has been scheduled for this Sunday 31 August to ensure the work won’t affect peak hour traffic. The work is scheduled to happen between 7am and 5pm.
"In order to remove the trees safely, we need to stop traffic while they are being felled. This means we will use stop/go traffic control on SH3 from the Smart Road intersection up to, and including, the Devon Street East intersection with Northgate Road. We want to keep disruption to an absolute minimum, so the work will be done outside peak traffic hours and is expected to be completed in one day, depending on weather and traffic conditions" he said.
"We want to do the work as quickly and efficiently as possible, so we are aiming to start early to try and get the trees removed as quickly as possible. We are also asking residents in the Glen Avon area to please try to avoid using Queens Road to access SH3 if possible."
McGonigal said fans travelling to the Taranaki vs Bay of Plenty ITM Cup game and people travelling to and from the airport will need to allow more travel time than normal.
Mr McGonigal says the Transport Agency would be carrying out replanting and landscaping at a later stage.
The SH3 Vickers to City Upgrade Project is the region's largest roading project and details are available by phoning 0508 822 4636.
For more information please contact:
Anthony Frith
Media Manager - Central
T: 04 894 5251
M: 027 213 7617
E: anthony.frith@nzta.govt.nz
