Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is advising drivers that critical safety barrier repairs and other maintenance work on State Highway 2 in Upper Hutt will begin on Sunday 13 July, weather permitting.
- One-week of night closures for various sections of State Highway 2 are planned, for Sunday, 13 July to Thursday, 17 July between 9 pm and 4 am.
- State Highway 2 will be closed overnight between Silverstream and Whakatiki Street on Sunday 13 July and Monday 14 July.
- State Highway 2 will be closed overnight between Whakatiki Street and Gibbons Street on Tuesday 15 July night.
- State Highway 2 will be closed overnight between Gibbons Street and Totara Park Road on Wednesday 16 July and Thursday 17 July.
Three sections of wire rope barrier and one section of roadside barrier require repairs. Because the barriers are next to live traffic lanes, road closures are required to keep road crews safe.
Resurfacing patches and line marking will also take place to make the most of the road closure. These works will make the state highway safer and more resilient.
Roxanne Hilliard, Wellington Alliance Manager, says the work is essential because safety barriers can literally be the difference between life and death.
“Median barriers virtually eliminate head-on crashes and reduce deaths and serious injuries from run-off-road crashes by around 40 to 50 percent.
“For the safety of all road users it’s vital that we repair barriers after they are struck and damaged. Investing in repairs helps reduce crash risk and the chance of people being hurt or killed. The sooner we do it, the safer road users will be.” Ms Hilliard says.
“NZTA understands that the delays for road users while repairs are carried out are inconvenient, but serious crashes cause even greater delays and can see roads closed for hours,” Ms Hilliard says.
Works schedule and detour routes
- 13 July and 14 July, 9pm to 4am
- SH2 closed between Silverstream and Whakatiki Street
- Local road detour via Silverstream bridge, Fergusson Drive, and Whakatiki Street
- Residents of Riverstone Terraces will have access at all times when travelling northbound. Residents travelling southbound will need to take the detour south, then travel back north to Riverstone Terraces.
- 15 July, 9pm to 4am
- SH2 closed between Whakatiki Street and Gibbons Street
- Local road detour via Whakatiki Street, Fergusson Drive, and Gibbons Street
- 16 July and 17 July, 9pm to 4am
- SH2 closed between Gibbons Street and Totara Park Road
- Local road detour via Gibbons Street, Main Street, Fergusson Drive, and Totara Park Road
