Express CONNECT – December 2018 / January 2019 | NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi

Kia ora

This is the last edition of Express Connect for 2018 and looking back to this time last year, when we had just started work, there have been some dramatic changes to the local landscape. It’s been a big year for the PP2Ō Expressway Project and one look at the stats below tells the story of how much has been achieved in 2018.

As we look to wrap up work for the year and stop to take a break over the holiday period, safety remains at the top of our agenda. With lots of holiday traffic expected on the roads we want to remind all motorists of the new signalised pedestrian crossing just north of the Mill Road roundabout. Drivers need to observe speed limits in this area and be aware of any pedestrians waiting to cross, please slow down and stop when the lights change.

We’ll be stopping work for a break over the holiday period and be back in 2019 for another very busy year!

If you need any further information on the PP2Ō Expressway project please call us on 0800 PP2O INFO or email pp2o@nzta.govt.nz

During the holiday shut down period the main line of contact for any project related issues is 0800 PP2O INFO or dial 111 if it’s an emergency situation.

Ngā mihi
Andy Goldie, Project Manager

2018 at a glance

2018 key milestones

Christmas and New Year shutdown

Christmas lights

Over Christmas and New Year the project will stop work. Our last day of work will be Friday 21 December and we’ll start back again on Monday 7 January 2019. A small crew will come back to work on the rail track between 30 December and 2 January. If you experience any PP2Ō construction-related issues during these times our 0800 PP2O INFO number will be manned. In emergency situation please call 111.

Make over for Pare-o-Matangi Reserve

Landscape plans for Pare-o-Matangi developed in partnership with the local community. In total over 8,000 plants trees and shrubs will be added to the reserve.

Pare-o-Matangi Reserve may look like a building site at the moment, but plans to return it to its former glory are sitting in the wings.

Pare-o-Matangi is the reserve framed by Rāhui Road to the south, the railway to the east and SH1 to the west. It’s formed a beautiful northern entrance to Ōtaki ever since past councillors Barry Mansell and Ann Chapman persuaded the Kāpiti Coast District Council to buy a derelict piece of land and aided by Keep Ōtaki Beautiful (KŌB), transform a wasteland into a gateway with established trees, shrubs, grasses and lawn.

A new landscape plan has been created by the project team in consultation with Ngā Hapū o Ōtaki, Keep Ōtaki Beautiful and the Kāpiti Coast District Council (KCDC). The plan provides a vision for the future development of the park. Some of this will be brought to life through the PP2O project. The rest will be built upon in the years ahead, either as Council funding allows or through other means.

Included in the package delivered by the Fletcher Construction Company team enhancements to the active and passive areas of the park, a new shared path and new footbridge over the Mangapouri stream, some simple seating and a rest area with steps down to the stream, and a 1.5-metre-wide gravel path with timber edging that will meander through the reserve, new native plantings, retained vegetation and lawn areas. A new carpark will be provided with access off Rahui road and provision made for a potential future toilet block and future playground.

The existing pohutukawa tree avenue will be retained and Pare-o-Matangi will feature a mix of native trees such as kauri, kahikatea, titoki, pohutukawa, tulip trees, and totara, with some exotic pin oaks and elms. Riparian planting near the stream will include sedges, flaxes and swamp coprosma. There will also be other plants such as cabbage trees, toetoe, mingimingi, ngaio and kōwhai, and bigger species of trees introduced such as white maire and mataī.

In total over 8,000 plants trees and shrubs will be added to the reserve.

There are also other improvements which could be possible in the future, such as a playground and toilet facility. Council will work with the community to work through what people want to see, and to identify priorities for implementation.

Stuart Dun, PP2Ō Landscape Designer says Pare-o-Matangi Reserve is an important open space within Ōtaki, both culturally and in terms of urban design.

“It is important that there was detailed consultation so that the design of the reserve restoration could be carefully developed. Planting and landscape treatments have been developed to enhance and support the aspirations of the local community, Iwi, Keep Ōtaki Beautiful and KCDC. We will give back to Ōtaki a beautiful reserve.”

Download the landscape plans [PDF, 8.2 MB]

A look back at PP2Ō 2018

And ‘that’s a wrap’ as Ōtaki College Students mash up their show reel of PP2Ō works from 2018. A huge thank you to all the Ōtaki College Digital Media students and teachers for their amazing and professional work over the year!

Safe driving at new traffic lights

The new signalised pedestrian crossing just north of the Mill Road roundabout in Ōtaki.

The new signalised pedestrian crossing just north of the Mill Road roundabout is now in place and being well used by local pedestrians to cross SH1 safely. Peak times of use are between 8am to 9am and 3pm to 4pm when students are making their way to and from school.

Drivers need to observe speed limits in this area and be aware of any pedestrians waiting to cross, slow down and stop when the lights change.

The project team is monitoring driver behaviour and any instances of dangerous driving will be referred to the police, who will take further action.

The public can also report dangerous driver behaviour to *555.

What you need to know if you’re driving or cycling:

A new signalised pedestrian crossing has been installed just north of the Mill Road roundabout.
Single-lane flow around the roundabout, similar to holiday weekends has been implemented 24/7.

Ōtaki roundabout

Construction update

North Zone (north of the Ōtaki River to Taylors Road)

Work progressing on Bridges 2 and 3.

In the North Zone we’ve finished the Electra overhead cable relocations from Taylors Road to Ōtaki. Piling works on the new Waitohu River Bridge (Bridge 1) are underway and planned to be finished by Christmas.

Construction continues on Bridges 2 and 3 (north-west of the Mill Road roundabout). There’ll be some weekend works before and after the Christmas/New Year period as we push to get traffic and pedestrians onto the new bridges early in the New Year.

The western footpath on SH1 in this area remains closed with pedestrians diverted via County Road. Please continue to use the temporary footpath and the signalised pedestrian crossing just north of the Mill Road roundabout. Please remember to wait for the “green man” signal and check that traffic has stopped before you step out and cross this busy road. If you’re driving please slow down and be aware things have changed – pay special attention during school commuting times as many children are using this crossing.

Work in the Pare-o-Matangi Reserve continues which means at times the Reserve may be closed to the public. The Ōtaki Railway Station platform extension works continue and during the Christmas period when trains aren’t operating (30 December – 2 January 2019) we’ll have crews working on the lines north of Ōtaki and around the Ōtaki Railway Station.

The Chrystalls Bend public river walkway on the north bank of the Ōtaki River is diverting people around our work site. The diversion is well signposted and fenced for your safety and remains in place until around June 2019. For everyone’s safety please observe all site signage and stay out of work sites.

Things are busy out there, so please slow down around all works and allow a little extra time for your journey.

Preparing to bore piles for Bridge 1 that will carry the Expressway across the Waitohu Stream.

Works progressing opposite the Ōtaki Railway Station.

South Zone (south of the Ōtaki River to Peka Peka)

Beam installation and deck construction continue on the south side of the new Ōtaki River Bridge (Bridge 5) and access to the south bank remains restricted around our works.

Work on Bridges 6 and 7, that will carry Ōtaki Gorge Road over the expressway and the rail track, continue with a new site access formed off SH1 just south of the current Ōtaki River Bridge. Pavement works continue on the new sections of Old Hautere Road and Ōtaki Gorge Road.

Early in the New Year we’ll start work on Bridge 8, the local road bridge that will connect east and west Te Horo over the rail track and expressway. These works will begin on the site opposite Hyde Park on Te Horo Beach Road and involve construction of a reinforced earth abutment.

We’re also about to start work in the area south of Gear Road to Mary Crest. We’ll be building haul roads and access tracks within our work area, so we can move machinery and materials through the alignment.

On the south side of Te Hāpua Road we’ll continue to lay preload material. This process effectively squashes down the underlying peat. We layer-up much more material than we need and leave it to sit for approximately three months or until it has reached the right level of settlement.

At this point the top layers of preload material are removed and the road pavement is applied. There’ll be continued stop/go traffic management in place on Te Hapua Road in conjunction with the preload works.