- Kia ora
- Information days a success
- Connecting Peka Peka
- Update on the proposed PP2Ō shared path
- Construction update
- Employment opportunities on PP2Ō
- PP2Ō team out and about in Ōtaki
- Christmas shutdown dates
Kia ora
As we all prepare for our Christmas break it is good to see how much interest our local community has shown in the PP2Ō Expressway.
Our two information days at the end of October were a great success and to have over 1,200 people come and talk to us over the two days was a wonderful experience for the team. Since then we’ve hit a major project milestone with main works getting underway on schedule in November.
We’re also delighted in partnership with Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Rito to have been awarded the Ngā Tohu Reo Māori, the Māori Language Award for best business initiative 2017 for the bi-lingual site signage we’ve developed together.
The information booth in Ōtaki Main Street has also been busy, with nearly 10,000 people dropping in since we opened it in the middle of the year. The booth will be open during the Christmas break so if you or any visitors want to know more about the project please pop in to get a better understanding of the design and construction programme underway.
Our project team will break for the Christmas holidays on Friday December 22 and start work again on Monday January 8. If in that time you need to contact the project team, please ring 0800 PP2O INFO (0800 7726 4636). For emergencies, please contact emergency services on 111.
When we get back to work in January we’ll continue to keep you updated on progress and plans and look forward to a busy year ahead. We’re also recruiting for a range of roles to start in the New Year, more details below, and please pass this on or get in touch if you or anyone you know would like to work on this exciting project.
Have a safe and happy holidays!
Ngā mihi
Andy Goldie, Project Manager
Information days a success
The two information days held on 28 and 29 October were a huge success, with an estimated 1,200 people flocking to the events in Ōtaki and Te Horo over the weekend.
About 700 people came through the doors of the Māoriland Film Hub in Ōtaki Main Street on the Saturday and a further 500 attended at Te Horo Hall on the Sunday to talk to key experts from the project team who manned information stations and ran a series of presentations.
These covered aspects such as bridges and culverts, earthworks and archaeology, landscaping and urban design, health and safety, and potential job opportunities.
In addition, Transport Agency representatives were present to explain and listen to public feedback on options for a shared pathway and on improving connections to Peka Peka.
Ōtaki residents Eric and Vanessa Matthews were among the many people taking a keen interest in the maps and diagrams. “We were particularly interested in finding out more about how the Ōtaki Gorge roundabout would work, for both local traffic and as a link to the southbound on-ramp,” they said.
Local real estate agent Grant Robertson was also keen to get more information about the options for the shared path and Peka Peka connectivity. “It’s good to find out more about what the proposals are and see some actual lines on paper.”
PP2Ō Liaison Group chair Christine Papps said it was good to see the local community coming out to view the maps and diagrams showing how the expressway will look when complete.
“The information days also gave the community a chance to view the proposed shared path and Peka Peka interchange options and comment and voice their preferences."
PP2Ō Community Liaison Officer Dale Nakhla said the Ōtaki conversations were mainly about access to and from the town, what construction activities are underway and coming up, environmental management, archaeology, traffic management and disruption to bus services, employment and training.
Operational noise (noise of the expressway when it’s open to traffic) was raised at both meetings, particularly at Te Horo, and there was significant interest in the shared path and Peka Peka connectivity interchange options.
Connecting Peka Peka
View of Peka Peka Interchange looking north.
Since the Mackays to Peka Peka (M2PP) Expressway opened, the NZ Transport Agency has been monitoring traffic flows across the network. Some issues with safety and traffic movements around the Peka Peka Interchange area were identified and we are now investigating these in collaboration with our stakeholders.
The two shortlisted interchange options were chosen from a long list of options based on technical assessment and in consultation with a range of stakeholders, including Kāpiti Coast District Council, community liaison boards, iwi and other community groups.
The options provide improved connections between the Peka Peka and Te Horo communities and the expressway while balancing the effects on the environment and surrounding communities.
A range of alternative interchange options were considered in and around Te Horo but were not shortlisted due to a high impact on the community, environmental constraints and high expected costs. Upgrades to the local road network to improve connectivity were also considered. These options were not shortlisted because they did not achieve the project objectives, and because of their impact on land use and neighbouring communities.
We expect a preferred option to be announced in early December. However, this project does not currently have funding allocated and a detailed business case will need to be approved by the Transport Agency Board if the decision is made to proceed. If the project does go ahead we expect it to be constructed during the same construction window as the PP2Ō Expressway – between May 2018 and late 2020.
Find out more at: www.nzta.govt.nz/ConnectingPekaPeka or email the project team at ConnectingPekaPeka@nzta.govt.nz
Update on the proposed PP2Ō shared path
The NZ Transport Agency is currently developing detailed designs for the proposed PP2Ō shared path.
Originally, cycling facilities were going to be designed, developed and included during the revocation phase of the project, and had been intended to run on what will be the old State Highway 1 once the expressway opens. However, the success of the shared path built as part of the Mackays to Peka Peka (M2PP) Expressway led to requests for a similar facility to be built as part of the PP2Ō project.
Practically, design constraints unique to the PP2Ō project mean the pathway cannot be identical to the M2PP shared path. For example, the design is constrained by the land available to build on (the designation), which is much narrower than the land secured for M2PP. Aside from safety, key considerations for the shared path options include such issues as embankment slopes, connections to schools and recreation sites, the existing rail corridor and crossing, wetlands and Winstones’ operational work site.
In June 2017, the Transport Agency asked the community for feedback to help inform the route of the path. Armed with insights about how people in the area wanted to use the path, a series of indicative route alignment options were developed. Three options were presented to the community at information days in October 2017.
As a result of the helpful feedback received, the NZ Transport Agency is now progressing detailed designs for option 1 south of the Ōtaki River Bridge, and option 2 north of the Ōtaki River Bridge. Review the options at PP2Ō shared path webpage.
The NZ Transport Agency is working through further investigation before finalising the designs and selecting a preferred route for the shared path. Once the detailed design process is complete, the shared path project team will progress to the submission of a business case to the Transport Agency to confirm funding availability prior to implementation of the PP2Ō shared path project.
The PP2Ō shared path is still being considered for completion in line with the PP2Ō Expressway, in 2020.
Construction update
Main construction works are now underway in the North Zone (from the north bank of the Ōtaki River to Taylors Road). We’ve finished most of the vegetation clearance, house removals and demolition work and started working on Bridges 2 and 3 to the north of Ōtaki (see map).
These are being built to the west of the current State Highway 1 (SH1) Bridge that crosses the railway track. The bridge building in this area starts with earthworks, ground improvements and foundation work.
Throughout December and January work will continue on the new Ōtaki River Bridge, including fencing off work areas, vegetation clearance and bore holes in preparation for building the piles. A total of 18 columns will support the 330-metre new bridge. The public walkway will remain open at all times during construction of the new bridge but at times may need to be diverted.
In the South Zone (from the south bank of the Ōtaki River to Peka Peka) main works won’t really pick up until the second quarter of 2018. Until then the focus will be on clearing vegetation, house removals and demolition work.
Employment opportunities on PP2Ō
With main works on PP2Ō ramping up in the new year we’re looking to recruit a range of talented people including:
- Project Civils Supervisor
- Civils Foreman
- Project Engineer (Structures)
- Site Engineers
- Leading Hands – both civil and structural
- Plant and specialist operators
- Construction carpenters / General hands / Labourers
- Compliance and administration officers.
For more information or to register your interest in any of these roles please contact Sarah Farr – sarahf@fcc.co.nz
PP2Ō team out and about in Ōtaki
Ōtaki College students' update from the PP2Ō Info Days and project team powhiri at Raukawa Marae.
Christmas shutdown dates
Our project team will break for the Christmas holidays on Friday 22 December 2017 and start work again on Monday 8 January 2018. If in that time you need to contact the project team, please ring our 0800 number. You can contact us at 0800 7726 4636 or email pp2o@nzta.govt.nz. For emergencies, please call the Police on 111.
