The NZ Transport Agency says there will be closures on a section of Auckland’s Northwestern Motorway (State Highway 16) tonight (Tuesday, 7 April) because of work connected with the Waterview Connection project. The closures are related to the construction of the Great North Road Interchange to connect the Northwerstern and Southwestern (SH20) motorways.
‘The motorway is being closed overnight so that preliminary works on one of the four interchange ramps can be performed safely over the motorway with no risk to drivers,” says the Transport Agency’s Highways manager Brett Gliddon. “We are getting ready for an operation starting next month to place long concrete beams weighing around 60 tonnes over the motorway”.
The motorway closures start at 10pm and will affect drivers travelling in both directions on the Northwestern.
“We regret any inconvenience to people, and we have timed the closures when traffic volumes are lightest,” Mr Gliddon says.
Tonight’s preliminary work involves Ramp 4 on the interchange. It will carry traffic from the northbound Waterview tunnel towards the city and the CBD. It is the highest of the 4 ramps and in parts will be 22m above ground.
Contingency plans are in place to do this work tomorrow night (Wednesday 8 April) if bad weather affects tonight’s plans.
The Waterview Connection project includes construction of twin tunnels and an interchange to link the Southwestern and Northwestern Motorways. It will complete Auckland’s Western Ring Route, a 47-kilometre-long motorway between Albany on the North Shore and Manukau in the south.
The completed motorway will deliver several benefits for Auckland and the city’s regional neighbours. It will give drivers a second motorway choice to the Southern and Northern Motorways (SH1) through central Auckland, improve access to important commercial and residential destinations, reduce traffic on local roads, and provide better links for public transport and for people who walk and cycle.
The Waterview Connection project is planned to open to traffic in early 2017. It is being delivered by the Well-Connected Alliance which includes the Transport Agency, Fletcher Construction, McConnell Dowell, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Beca Infrastructure, Tonkin & Taylor and Japanese construction company Obayashi Corporation. Sub-alliance partners are Auckland-based Wilson Tunnelling and Spanish tunnel controls specialists SICE.
Key links:-
www.facebook.com.alicetbm(external link)
www.youtube.com/wcnow(external link)
http://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/waterviewconnection(external link)
ENDS
For more information please contact:
Andy Knackstedt
Media Manager
NZ Transport Agency
