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Last updated: 27 January 2020
The Christchurch Northern Corridor is a combined contract to build these related projects as one:
The CNC project also includes; an upgrade of QEII Drive to four lanes between Main North Road and Innes Road which will reduce congestion and delays for traffic travelling to the port, the addition of a third north and southbound lane on the Waimakariri Motorway Bridge and a clip-on cycle way, off-road pedestrian and cycle facilities linking to existing and new cycle facilities in the area and improved drainage infrastructure.
CloseMain North Road (State Highway 74) passes through Belfast and Redwood and provides the main access to the Christchurch City Centre and Lyttelton Port from the north (via QEII Drive). The large volume of local and through traffic travelling along Main North Road is creating and experiencing significant congestion - reducing safety and efficiency for people using this vital road. Even though substantial efforts are being made to reduce congestion by changing behaviours, congestion is still going to increase as residential and business development continues in the north and the wider city.
This project will unlock space for all travel modes and the transport solutions the community want to see like improved public transport, improve safety, reduce congestion, and more walking and cycling options.
An efficient and reliable transport network into, out of and across Greater Christchurch is important to the social, economic and environmental future of the City and the South Island. Efficient transport links to Lyttelton Port are also critical for supporting New Zealand trade.
CloseThe construction of the project is expected to cost $290 million. This amount has increased from the figure announced at the end of 2016 when the project began because we have added new work into the CNC project. This work includes the additional southbound lane on the Waimakariri Bridge, the Clip-on cycle path on the Waimakariri Bridge, the extension of the cycle path from Empire Road to Tram Road, the additional work for the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV)/ Carpool lanes and the associated information technologies needed for this.
The majority (about 87%) of the project is being funded by the NZ Transport Agency with funding from the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF) which is collected from fuel excise duty (FED), road user charges (RUC) and vehicle and driver registration and licensing charges. The rest of the project is being funded by the Christchurch City Council (CCC). However, not all this funding is from council rates, around 50% of the funding for the CCC section of the CNC project also comes from the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF).
The additional work on Cranford Street south of Innes Road and on surrounding streets is not part of the CNC Alliance project. This work is being managed and funded by the CCC. As with the majority of CCC roading projects, around 50% of this funding is also coming from the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF).
CloseThe Christchurch Northern Corridor project is about 12km long from the Waimakariri River to the Cranford/Innes Intersection plus another 4km for the QEII Drive four-laning.
CloseWe expect the motorway to be open in mid-2020, ground conditions and weather permitting. Following the opening there will still be work to do and the final layer of asphalt will not be laid until 2021.
CloseConstruction on Cranford Street and the Cranford/Innes intersection started in earnest at the beginning of 2018 and will be finished by December 2019. Construction started with the relocation of services (power, water, and telecommunications) followed by storm water and kerb and channel. The new road surface will be laid in late 2019.
CloseWork on QEII Drive started in late 2017 with the new eastbound lanes (on the north side of QEII Drive) being constructed. We then move traffic over to these new lanes in early 2019 and started work on the westbound lanes (where the old QEII Drive was). Construction of the QEII Bridge, double roundabouts and changes at the Innes Road Roundabout are also well underway. Work on QEII Drive is likely to finish in mid-2020.
CloseYes. With commuters from North Canterbury and North Christchurch and freight traffic using the Christchurch Northern Corridor, traffic volumes on Main North Road and Marshland Road will drop significantly. This will reduce congestion, improve travel times for all road users and improve amenity for local residents. It will also assist in making these roads safer for all users including cyclists and pedestrians, and free up room for public transport facilities.
Our traffic modelling shows that traffic volumes on Main North Road (Redwood) in 2015 were 35,000, by 2026 the number of vehicles on Main North Road (Redwood) per day will be 42,000 if the Christchurch Northern Corridor is not built and 24,000 if it is built.
There were 15,000 vehicles a day on Marshland Road in 2015. By 2026 there would be 29,000 vehicles a day if the Christchurch Northern Corridor is not built or 18,000 if the Christchurch Northern Corridor is built.
By 2026 42,000 vehicles a day will use the Waimakariri to QEII section of the Christchurch Northern Corridor.
(This modelling is based on post-earthquake traffic flows and updated development and growth predictions, and assumes the Western Belfast Bypass, another NZ Transport Agency project, is built. By 2026 the Western Belfast Bypass will carry 24,000 vehicles a day.)
CloseOnce the Christchurch Northern Corridor project is completed, control of Main North Road will be handed to Christchurch City Council (CCC). As the construction of the Christchurch Northern Corridor will result in significantly reduced traffic volumes on Main North Road, there is an opportunity for CCC to make changes to Main North Road which will further enhance public transport along the route, extending bus lanes, and making changes to intersection configurations or even considering other public transport options. These changes will result in improved public transport journey times along Main North Road which is likely to make public transport more attractive.
CloseA shared use off-road path is being constructed parallel to the Christchurch Northern Corridor from Tram Road to McFaddens Road. The CNC Shared Use Path starts at the Tram Road/Main North Road intersection and runs parallel to the northern motorway. A clip-on path on the Waimakariri Motorway Bridge will take pedestrians and cyclists over the Waimakariri River. The CNC Shared Use Path (SUP) then connects with Main North Road, Guthries Road, Belfast Road, Radcliffe Road, Prestons Road, QEII Drive, Grimseys Road, Winters Road, as well as Owen Mitchell Park and the future ‘Source to Sea’ pedestrian and cycle path along the Styx River. The off-road shared cycle path runs through the Cranford Basin and then along Cranford Street to end at McFaddens Road. From McFaddens Road, an on-road cycle lane will be included on both sides of Cranford Street to Innes Road. A link is also being built to connect the CNC SUP to the Papanui Parallel cycle path.
The shared use path will provide and link to safe travel options between North Canterbury and St Albans. Cycle facilities on QEII Drive will be improved as part of the QEII Drive four-laning and will connect to the CNC shared use path at Grimseys Road and Winters Road.The Christchurch Northern Corridor will also significantly reduce traffic on Main North Road and Marshland Road making these roads safer and more appealing for cyclists and pedestrians.
CloseMost of the Christchurch Northern Corridor will be constructed at or near ground level. Overbridges will be constructed so local roads can go over the Christchurch Northern Corridor (Belfast Road, Radcliffe Road and Prestons Road). These overpasses will be about eight metres high.
The Christchurch Northern Corridor will be elevated by about eight metres above surrounding ground level at the northern end of the alignment, to pass over the Main North Railway line and Main North Road. It will also be elevated at the southern end for the QEII Drive interchange.
CloseLow-noise asphalt will be used along most of the new motorway. This is a quieter surface than the chipseal used on many roads. Noise reducing earth bunds and fences will also be used in some areas near housing. These will be like the bunds and fences near the QEII Drive/Innes Road intersection. Concrete barriers will also be used on the project bridges.
It is believed that these mitigations will keep noise to an acceptable level. However, testing has been done to measure noise levels in the area before any changes are made and these recordings will be used as a base line as the project advances. The NZ Standard for Road traffic noise – new and altered roads (NZS 6806:2010) is being used.
The Christchurch Northern Corridor Alliance team do our best to reduce/limit construction noise as much as possible and we will keep local people informed when construction noise is likely.
CloseThe speed limit on the Christchurch Northern Corridor will be 100km/h between the Waimakariri River and QEII Drive. It will reduce to 80km/h at the interchange with QEII Drive. The speed limit on QEII Drive will remain at 80km/h and landscaping and urban design elements such as median and shoulder widths will be varied to slow traffic where the speed limit reduces to 80km/h. The speed through the Cranford basin section will reduce from 80km/h to 50km/h. The speed limit will not change on the Cranford Street section of the project, which is now 50Km/h.
CloseUpgrading Marshland Road was investigated and dismissed. This was in part due to unfavourable ground conditions meaning that widening and upgrading the road would require significant ground improvement and future maintenance costs, and also to the large number of existing property accesses on to Marshland Road. These roads and driveways limit the potential to develop a high volume, high speed arterial road. Plans for significant future developments adjoining this route would also require access to Marshland Road further reducing its functionality.
CloseThe Christchurch City Council has plans to ensure traffic can continue along Cranford Street on the city-side of the Innes Road intersection. This plan includes: changes to Cranford Street to allow for clearways or a bus lane, upgrading some intersections and discouraging the use of residential streets as short cuts. Work on these improvements will start in 2020.
More information on this consultation can be found on the Christchurch City Council website:
https://www.ccc.govt.nz/the-council/consultations-and-submissions/haveyoursay/show/142(external link)
The barrier along Cranford Street has several functions; it will prevent front on collisions, reduce turning movement at intersections (thereby reducing hold-ups) and stop commuters using suburban streets as rat-runs or shortcuts. While this may mean the people who live in these areas have to drive a little farther to get home, the barriers will improve safety and quality of life for people living in these side streets by greatly reducing traffic.
CloseThe upgrade of the Cranford Basin into an improved storm-water retention area and new forested wetland area is a separate project. Work on the improved storm-water retention area is now finished. Turning this area into a forested wetland area with public walkways and other facilities is a future Christchurch City Council project that will need public support to gain funding through the council’s planning processes.
CloseSee the consultation section on the Project background tab(external link).
CloseThe Waimakariri Bridge is being widened to provide for a third northbound lane and a third southbound lane. The third southbound lane which is planned to operate as a High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane or carpool lane during morning peak. The widening is being constructed on the inside of the existing bridges. A new clip-on cycleway is being constructed on the outside of the southbound bridge. This work will be completed at the end of 2019.
CloseThe NZ Transport Agency recognises that a robust, long-term transport solution must include incentives for changing driver behaviour to increase vehicle occupancy and to make better use of infrastructure.
The lanes encourage a more efficient use of infrastructure by moving more people in fewer vehicles.
One of the ways to reduce congestion is to change transport user behaviour. If more people share vehicles, take buses or ride bikes the less cars will be on road.
CloseWhile the carpool lane was not part of the CNC project at the start of construction in late 2016, a corridor study in the same year put forward the idea of a carpool lane to manage ongoing traffic growth. The Canterbury Regional Transport Committee supported this idea in September 2017 as a variation to the Regional Land Transport Plan.
The CNC Alliance, supported by the Greater Christchurch Partnership, agreed to include a third southbound lane and a clip-on cycleway as part of the project in 2017. The CNC already had staff and equipment on site for the northbound widening so including the southbound widening made sense. Doing the work as part of the CNC project will be more cost effective, minimising impacts on the river and minimising disruption to users.
In 2018 the NZ Transport Agency conducted an investigation into the safe operations of a southbound carpool lane and this led to funding for design and construction.
CloseYes, the widening of the Waimakariri Motorway Bridge includes a 2.5m clip-on shared use path (SUP) to get cyclist and pedestrian safely over the Waimakariri River. A SUP also run the entire length of the CNC.
CloseThe CNC motorway may attract some traffic that may otherwise have used Marshland Road or Papanui Road but the majority of traffic entering Cranford Street or QEII Drive from the new Christchurch Northern Corridor would have travelled this way anyway; but they would have travelled via Main North Road.
Traffic growth due to businesses and residential growth in Christchurch and Canterbury will cause traffic to increase on all main roads including both Cranford Street and QEII Drive over the next decade regardless of this project. However, because of the changes on Cranford Street and QEII Drive these roads will be able to cope with this extra traffic. When the CNC opens in 2020 we expect the traffic volumes on Cranford Street to be about 34,000 vehicles per day.
The Christchurch City Council has further improvements planned for Cranford Street from Innes Road to the CBD and other local roads in this area. These plans include, changes to Cranford Street to allow for clearways or a bus lane, upgrading some intersections and discouraging the use of residential streets as short cuts. This work should get underway in early 2020.
CloseAs well as adhering to all environmental legislation and our consent conditions, the CNC Alliance is also seeking a Greenroads certification to demonstrate our commitment to environmental outcomes. This means we are going above and beyond minimum environmental, social and economic practices.
Find out more about this on the NZTA Greenroads site:
https://www.nzta.govt.nz/about-us/about-the-nz-transport-agency/environmental-and-social-responsibility/state-highway-approach-to-environmental-and-social-responsibility/greenroads/
This motorway corridor will become the main northern entrance to Ōtautahi Christchurch and we want this arrival experience to celebrate Christchurch’s proud natural character and love of parks and gardens.
The urban design concept for this project has been christened in house the ‘Totara Highway’ as we hope to reflect the historic ecology of the area while also acknowledging the changes that have happened as local communities have grown. This concept will create a parkland corridor, which softens the edges of the new motorway, providing pleasant human-scale places. The shared pedestrian/cycle path will meander through a natural landscape connecting locals to schools, shops and work. The plants we are using are almost entirely native with seeds sourced locally. Many of our urban design features will also have a native plant motif including the three bridges you will drive under as you enter Christchurch. These will also have light features to add interest and enchantment at night.
We hope the urban design and landscaping design is sensitive to the current and historic environment. We want the motorway corridor to enhance the everyday lives of the local community for generations to come.
More info on our landscaping/urban design is in our urban design draft concept plan: https://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/projects/christchurch-northern-corridor/Urban-Design-Draft-Concept-Nov-2016.pdf [PDF, 6.8 MB]
CloseSince the Western Belfast Bypass has opened congestion from the north has improved. However, travel times to and from North Canterbury still vary, especially in the morning and evening peaks. This inconsistency makes travel frustrating and difficult to plan reliably. Once the new motorway is open travel time is expected to improve via both Main North road and Marshland Road. Travel times between Woodend and Bealey Avenue are expected to average out as follows once the CNC is open:
Yes. The rail bridge near Main North Road allows room for double tracking if needed in the future.
More info on commuter rail to and from Christchurch and North Canterbury is available on the Northern Corridor congestion – facts, stats and answers page
https://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/christchurch-motorways/northern-corridor-congestion/
In order to connect the Christchurch Northern Corridor to the existing Northern Motorway some changes are required:
The Christchurch Northern Corridor will connect at QEII Drive with a 'grade-separated' interchange. The Christchurch Northern Corridor will go over the top of QEII Drive on a bridge. Under the overbridge there will be on and off-ramps and two connected roundabouts that will make access in all directions possible. (This interchange will be like the Southern Motorway /Curletts Road interchange.)
The north/south priority (Christchurch Northern Corridor over QEII Drive) was chosen as it is a less complicated layout for users and provides the best traffic performance for through traffic into the City. It does not require as much land, it uses the existing alignment of QEII Drive and it keeps the Christchurch Northern Corridor further away from adjacent housing than other options that were considered.
The Christchurch Northern Corridor will then go through Cranford Basin and connect into Cranford Street via a new roundabout.
This video shows how to use the QEII interchange.
How to use the QEII interchange.
CloseBelfast Road (via south facing ramps)
South facing on and off-ramps at Belfast Road will allow northbound traffic to exit at Belfast Road and access for traffic wishing to head south from Belfast Road towards the city and Lyttelton Port. The southbound ramps at Belfast were pencilled in during consultation. As soon as the rezoning of the Belfast commercial area was finalised it was agreed that the southbound ramps at Belfast Road should be included in the CNC construction project.
QEII Drive
SH1
Cranford Street
See the consultation section on the Project Background tab that has information on The Greater Christchurch Urban Development Strategy and the Belfast Area Plan
https://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/christchurch-motorways/christchurch-northern-corridor/project-background/
Traditionally, you would have a design ready for construction and the government would hire a contractor to build.
A project alliance is a single contract taking the project from concept design to completion. Project alliancing is an approach aimed at creating mutually beneficial relationships between all parties to ensure best project outcomes. Unlike traditional forms of contract where risk is allocated to different parties, under a ‘pure’ project alliance, the alliance participants take collective ownership and equitable sharing of all risks associated with the delivery of the project.
The risk/reward arrangements are designed so exceptional performance will deliver excellent outcomes for all parties while poor performance will result in poor outcomes for all parties.
Some of the alliance principles are:
This alliance contract is between the NZ Transport Agency, Christchurch City Council, Fulton Hogan, Aurecon and Jacobs. It is a great example of central and local government working together to create a safe, reliable transport network that meets the needs of all road users, including cyclists, pedestrians and those using public transport.
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