It’s been a busy few months for the maintenance team with several key projects nearing completion and others beginning to kick off with consultation.
Work on the challenging stretch of SH6, known as Gentle Annie hill, will be completed in time for Christmas and there is now more space over its 1km length. This allows for wider lanes, better lines of sight and a full shoulder in both directions.
Not only will this improve safety for all road users, it will also reduce driver frustration and provide a better, more resilient network in the event of severe weather.
Project manager Gavin Gregg says while there were some unavoidable weather-related delays over the winter, the ground has dried well through spring and the finishing touches are being applied.
“We needed to let the new fill settle before sealing it and opening it to traffic. The last thing we wanted was for it to be opened too early and settle under the weight of vehicles, and then for us to have to open it up again for more fill and compaction. However we’re happy with how the project has gone overall, and once the final Reflective Raised Pavement Markers and barrier work is finished, it’ll be a good early Christmas present for the locals and the many tourists using this stretch of road over summer.”
This project forms part of the wider Nelson work stream, which includes the cliff stabilisation at Rocks Road, intersection improvements at Quarantine Road, and providing a stock effluent facility at Richmond.
Then further north in sunny Napier another project is underway – the intersection of SH2 and Watchman Road. In late November, a meeting was held with diverse group of stakeholders to discuss upgrading the intersection at Ahuriri as the current intersection causes confusion for road users and has a poor safety record.
A working group was formed with representatives from Hawkes Bay Airport, the Westshore Residents Association, Ahuriri Estuary Protection Society, the AA, Napier City Council, Department of Conservation, Beca Ltd and Transport Agency staff. This good cross section will ensure a wide range of views are heard and all bases are covered as design work progresses.
Project manager James Mear says getting the group together is really important.
“Collaboration is crucial to getting the best outcomes for both the project and the community. We’re addressing a safety issue here, so there’s no question something has to be done at the intersection. What we’re doing with the group is making sure everyone’s voice is heard at the outset, so we can work together constructively.”
The next step is to move forward with the design process, using information from the stakeholder group as part of its development.
“The group’s not just a one-off – we’re committed to working with them and meeting regularly through the entire process – from design to construction,” says James.