- Kia ora
- Staying safe around road works
- Ōtaki College Careers Expo a springboard for a career at Fletcher Construction
- Construction update
Kia ora
With spring already here and summer just around the corner, you will see a lot more activity as the paving season gets underway. We will be completing the Old Hautere Road tie-ins, laying pavement in the Rāhui Road area and carrying out Expressway pavement trials.
The warmer weather will also see an increase in the number of people and cars on the road as they come to make the most of Ōtaki’s beaches, climate and all the other delights the area offers. As such, road safety becomes a priority and we will be working to increase awareness, especially of speed limits around construction works.
We understand how frustrating it is for the community when major works are being undertaken in their backyard and how intimidating it can be while dealing with that and having to navigate through speeding traffic.
For our workers, the frustration and apprehension is just as real. We want everyone to have a happy Christmas and joyous summer and for that purpose our staff are sending out a reminder for everyone to obey the speed limit. There are very good reasons for lowering speeds and they all have to do with safety and for everyone to get where they’re going more efficiently.
At PP2Ō, workers have used their own words to remind everyone why people should obey the road rules as you can see in the video below.
It’s the same message we’ll be sending out widely for those people who pass through the Peka Peka to Ōtaki Expressway to remind them that the local community is putting up with a lot of inconvenience to make their journey safer and more convenient. These people owe the local community consideration.
Drive safely.
If you need any further information on the PP2Ō Expressway project please call us on 0800 PP2O INFO or email pp2o@nzta.govt.nz
Ngā mihi
Andy Goldie, Project Manager
Staying safe around road works
Rhys McBreen was concerned for his workmates and himself as they went about their daily work, directing traffic around construction work and other road hazards.
He felt they put their lives in hands of strangers every day and wanted his concerns to be taken seriously, so he made a video.
It’s a message Fletcher Construction also take very seriously. It wants it workers to get home safely to their families and was happy to support Rhys and his colleagues. It also wants the local community to feel safe on the roads.
Ōtaki College Careers Expo a springboard for a career at Fletcher Construction
Surveyor Andrew Wheatley and Survey Assistant Matheson Cavanagh are just two of many who took part in this year’s Ōtaki College Careers Expo on 21 August 2019. But for Matheson, it was a special day. Just two years ago he was a pupil at the College and only got to know about the opportunities available to him, through Fletcher’s attendance there.
Now Matheson is a full time employee working on the Peka Peka to Ōtaki Expressway.
Surveyors were just one of the Fletcher’s teams to attend. There were also environmentalists, members of the pavement team and other engineers. Of course, no construction site would be complete without some machinery and pupils and members of the public got their chance to drive one of the diggers.
Construction update
North Zone (north of the Ōtaki River to Taylors Road)
Beams placed and approach embankments forming on the new Rāhui Road Bridge.
Works progressed on Waitohu Stream Bridge with the final panels having been placed. Rāhui Road Bridge has rapidly formed with beams placed and the bridge approach embankments forming.
Tie-in works on County and Rāhui Roads have progressed with drainage and pavements works well underway. Between the northern end of the station platform and Rāhui Road a tidy section of the new shared path has formed.
Works on the north side of the Ōtaki River Bridge ramped up with a 400T crane spanning and placing beams over the river. The Chrystalls Bend pedestrian diversion was moved slightly south to more favourable ground conditions and makes a great viewing point to watch further beams get placed in early September.
South Zone (south of the Ōtaki River to Peka Peka)
Bridge 8 that will connect east and west Te Horo under construction next to Culvert 24, set to carry Mangaone Stream.
Side panel placements and deck concrete pours continued on the south side of the Ōtaki River Bridge, with similar works taking place on the Ōtaki Gorge Road rail and expressway bridges.
The large shed used for pre-casting concrete panels in the Projects Bridge Lodge site has been deconstructed, making way for the construction of the permanent Ōtaki Gorge Road alignment.
Relocating and installing services throughout the southern end of the job has continued, with 90% of power now relocated. A large amount of this work has involved works close to State Highway 1. We appreciate your continued patience and safe driver behaviour through the areas under temporary traffic management.
The landscape bund between Old Hautere and School Roads has quickly progressed with topsoil and mulch now applied.
Last but not least, it’s now time to kick off the last of the bridges. This month we’re preparing the ground for the construction of the Marycrest Bridge. Given the proximity to the railway, some of these works will take place through the night. We’ll then start laying the foundations for abutment to form on.
