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Transit New Zealand is delighted that one of its largest recent safety projects has won a major national roading award.

Transit’s SH1 Hihitahi Bluffs Realignment project won the Shell Bitumen Excellence Award for a Major Project at the annual Roading Excellence Awards, held yesterday at the Roading New Zealand Conference in Wellington.

 Transit chief executive Rick van Barneveld today congratulated award recipients Opus International Consultants and contractors HEB Smithbridge.

“We’re thrilled that this extremely important safety project has been recognised. It involved some truly innovative safety and environmental features, and the contractors toiled tirelessly throughout winter to complete it five months early and under budget,” said Mr van Barneveld.

“It’s great to see that a project of this scale can make such a significant improvement to the safety of road users without detracting from the environment that surrounds it.”

The $20m realignment, which is located just north of Taihape, was described by the Awards Panel as a key example of how a road can enhance environmental and community values.

Mr van Barneveld also congratulated Connell Wagner, who were awarded the Infratrain New Zealand Best Practice Award for Delivery for Transit’s SH20 Hillsborough Signalised Roundabout, part of Auckland’s Mount Roskill Extension project Auckland. Connell Wagner were praised for developing and delivering an innovative solution in an extremely short timeframe.

For more information please contact:
Anthony Frith
Communications Adviser
Tel  64 4 496 5479
Fax  64 4 496 6613
anthony.frith@transit.govt.nz

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