This project uses an existing road under the Shotover Bridge, and building a traffic slip lane from this that joins the Frankton bound lane of SH6. This increases safety for Tucker Beach traffic, who won’t have to turn right across two lanes of heavy highway traffic to drive to Frankton.
Strong visitor growth and the associated upswing in economic activity associated with this in the form of residential and commercial developments, is driving big increases in traffic on roads in the Queenstown and Frankton areas. This is most noticeable on roads in Frankton, where several developments associated with the Queenstown visitor boom are happening.
Heavier traffic on SH6 is making it increasingly difficult to make right turns out of the Tucker Beach Road intersection onto the highway to travel to Queenstown, especially for buses and large trucks. This $6.4 million NZ Transport Agency project will provide a safety underpass below SH6 at the Shotover River Bridge that will connect to a slip road for Tucker Beach Road motorists to travel west on SH6 toward Frankton or Queenstown.
Some of Queenstown Lakes District Council water and wastewater services for the further developments in the surrounding area are being incorporated into this project.
This new and safer road link to Frankton and Queenstown for Tucker Beach Road intersection traffic is expected to open in April 2019.
Tucker Beach Road intersection map
Larger version of Tucker Beach Road intersection map [PDF, 3.5 MB]
See also maps for temporary traffic turning changes [PDF, 3.5 MB]
