Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
Work priorities and traffic management have been rearranged on Christchurch’s Southern Motorway Stage 2 project, as around 250 construction crew resume their jobs under Covid-19 Level Three health and safety protocols.
The Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency project was originally aiming to get traffic onto the new motorway lanes by mid this year. “Having lost five of the remaining 10 weeks of the construction season due to the Lockdown and with more restrictive health and safety work methods now required we will not achieve this goal,” says Waka Kotahi Principal Project Manager Geoff Griffiths.
The construction force spent time learning how to work under the new safety protocols last week, he says.
“There are challenges to overcome but everyone is adapting and getting on with the job. We are very grateful to local residents, business owners and motorists who are being patient with our new work habits.
“The project team has had to reprioritise the work to ensure we reduce the impacts on road users and local businesses, given we will not be able to complete the motorway lanes before winter,” says Mr Griffiths.
The new priorities include:
- Reopening the SH1/Hoskyns Road intersection
- Completing the Weedons Ross /Jones Roads roundabout
- Opening the Robinsons Road link under the motorway
- Finishing works on Springs and Shands Roads.
“Work on the motorway itself will focus on attempting to get traffic on the city-bound lanes before winter, but this is going to be very dependent on the weather through May and early June.
“This will mean that over the next month to six weeks, we are asking for people’s patience as we undertake work that will require more restrictions on traffic than usual. We hope people understand that the added waiting time and distance travelled over the next few weeks is preferable to extended inconvenience through all the winter months and into spring.
“Additional measures to help speed up work and minimise inconvenience for residents and road users include using alternative materials and taking advantage of the current reduced traffic volumes over the next few weeks to undertake some of the more disruptive work immediately,” says Mr Griffiths.
Revised traffic impacts for road users to be aware of early May into June:
- Hoskyns Rd is currently ‘left in and left out’ only at Main South Road (SH1). Drivers are encouraged to use the Weedons Interchange in the meantime. Aiming to re-open mid June.
- Manion Road is closed at Curraghs Road: use Jones Road detour. Aiming to re-open early June.
- Robinsons Road is closed at Main South Road, and will remain closed until mid-year when it will pass under Main South Road and reconnect with Curraghs Road. Aiming to open mid-June.
- Weedons Road is closed south of Levi Road as part of the CSM2 work. Aiming to re-open late May.
- Jones Road is closed each side of Weedons Ross Road, detour via surrounding local roads. Aiming to re-open late May.
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Project pages/ background for this $195 million motorway project: https://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/christchurch-motorways/christchurch-southern-corridor/christchurch-southern-motorway-stage-2/(external link)
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