Source: Argument for Lifting NZ Super Age
Traffic will be back using the Holland Road/Marshmeadow Road intersection on Wednesday 21 May, following final surfacing work for the safety upgrade of the State Highway 1B Telephone Road railway crossing.
While the road will reopen, the rail crossing on Telephone Road itself must remain closed for another couple of months until KiwiRail has completed their signalling work, says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).
“The signalling work is a vital part of the upgrade to safely allow vehicles to start using the Telephone Road rail crossing once again,” explains NZTA’s Regional Manager of Maintenance and Operations, Roger Brady.
“We appreciate this has been a disruptive period and ask the Puketaha community to bear with us for just a couple more months until the crossing can fully reopen.”
To prevent vehicles using the rail crossing, shipping containers will be installed across the road tomorrow and remain in place until KiwiRail have completed their work, which is expected to be in late July.
“Unfortunately pedestrian access across the rail crossing will also no longer be possible, including the Puketaha School students who have been able to walk across twice a day,” Mr Brady says.
Both Puketaha School and the Ministry of Education, who manage the school bus routes, have been notified.
Alongside lowering the risk of vehicles damaging the rail tracks, NZTA has also added escape lanes to ensure vehicles do not get stuck on the crossing at busy times.
“As we hit the home stretch for the roading component of this project, we’d like to once more thank the community for your patience while SH1B Telephone Road remains closed at the rail crossing.”
Temporary traffic management will be in place until July showing the SH1B detour around Holland Road, Waverley Road and Seddon Road. This is the same detour that was in place from when the crossing first closed in 2022 until the start of the upgrade project in February this year.
KiwiRail media queries contact: Sue Allen Sue.Allen@kiwirail.co.nz
