News & Media Releases

Harbour Link Closes for the Holidays

19 December, 2008

The NZ Transport Agency’s Harbour Link Project is preparing for a holiday break over Christmas – but excellent progress has been made throughout 2008.

Piling in the Waikareao Estuary for the Chapel St eastbound off ramp was completed in February, and the new Chapel St westbound on ramp was opened to traffic in August.

In May excavators moved in to prepare the site for four-laning along the Mount causeway and construction of the traffic lanes approach to the new Harbour Bridge.  Temporary works started this month for the new Aerodrome Bridge.

The pre-cast yard team have completed half of the 191 bridge beams required for the Chapel St viaduct, with the first of the viaduct beams installed in October.  So far 39 viaduct beams have been placed.

The first of the new harbour bridge segments were also launched in October - 22 years after the first push on the existing harbour bridge took place.  The bridge is now quarter of the way through its journey across the harbour with eight of the 23 segments launched.  Piling on the Tauranga side of the harbour was completed in August and piles on the Mount side of the harbour are likely to be completed in February next year.

The next traffic shift is scheduled to take place mid-January with the opening of the Chapel St eastbound off ramp.  Traffic travelling along Takitimu Dr towards Otumoetai will be directed onto the new off ramp with a left-turn only.  Traffic headed towards Sulphur Point and Mount Maunganui will stay on the current two-way system straight ahead until September 2009.  Due to reduced lane widths in this area, cyclists should use Cameron Rd.

NZ Transport Agency project manager, Kevin Reid, says that construction work during the Christmas/New Year period will stop on Tuesday 23 December and begin again on Monday 5 January, with every effort made to minimise any inconvenience to the public during this period.

“We are very pleased with the project’s progress to date, and barring any unforeseen delays it is hoped to have both harbour bridges and viaduct opened ahead of schedule, just before Christmas 2009.  Related work to complete the project will be carried out in early 2010,” Mr Reid said.

For more information please contact:

Kevin Reid
NZ Transport Agency’s Harbour Link Project Manager
T 64 7 927 6008
M 64 21 285 6512
F 64 7 578 2909
kevin.reid@nzta.govt.nz

www.nzta.govt.nz

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