16 | Northland: Northland Transportation Alliance REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Richard Loader New bridge relieves traffic congestion The new bridge sits next to the old two lane bridge, eectively providing a four lane roadway. PILING / DRILLING / HEAVY HAULAGE / PLANT & EQUIPMENT HIRE / 0800 SPIRAL / 0800 PILING / WWW.SPIRALDRILLERS.CO.NZ INFRAST UCTURE, COMMERCIAL AND R SIDENTIAL PILING ECIALISTS / WW .SPIRA I LERS.CO.NZ / 0800SPIRAL Oɝcially opened last November following a dawn blessing, Whangarei District Council’s new $10M bridge on Port Road has already had a significant positive impact on traɝc ȵows, reducing bottle neck queues on what has become an important freight route for the region. The 16-month construction project undertaken by local firms United Civil Construction and WSP Consultants includes the building of a new bridge across the +ā +ā Limeburners Creek, providing two lanes for traɝc heading out of Whangarei and a three-metre-wide walking and cycling path. The new bridge sits next to the old twolane bridge, eectively providing a four lane roadway, streamlining traɝc ȵow, with traɝc heading in the east-bound direction towards the Port traveling on the two lanes of the new bridge while traɝc in the west bound direction towards Whangarei remains on the old bridge. Construction of the new bridge is the first of a two stage project, with the construction of a two-lane roundabout already in progress to replace a T intersection immediately before the bridge, providing further improvements to traɝc ȵow. Northland Transport Authority (NTA) Strategy and Planning Manager Je Devine, says the main driver for the project was congestion relief. “The area that was the old Whangarei Port has been redeveloped as a major commercial/industrial area and is now a main freight avenue to service the new Port Road area. Further down there is also a block of land that is being developed as a high-density residential subdivision. “This project will provide the roading infrastructure to service the commercial/industrial and residential growth areas. The completion of both the bridge and the roundabout will allow for future growth down that bottom area.” Je says that as the areas continue to develop, particularly with the future residential development, there will be a lot more pedestrian and cycling demand and so the Whangarei District Council took the opportunity to include walking and cycling facilities from the town basin to the Port Rd area. “Pedestrians and cyclists will be able to cross the bridge on the new shared path to the +ā +ā Limeburners Creek boat ramp, which has been reopened for hand launched vessels such as dinghies, kayaks, waka-ama and paddleboards. “This stage of the shared path will end at the boat ramp until the nearby intersection work is completed. There is also signalised pedestrian crossing just to the right of the new roundabout, to make safe access for pedestrians.” Funding for the bridge project is being administered by Kānoa – Regional (conomic Development and Ζnvestment Unit as part of the government’s “shovel ready” COVID-19 response plan. “The bridge and roundabout was initially scoped as one proMect,ȋ explains Je. ȊWhen we had the opportunity to get funding from Kanoa, there was a $10 million limit, which eectively funded the bridge. “The roundabout was then treated as a second stage, and funded by Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency. Initially we considered the options of either a roundabout or traɝc lights to replace the T intersection, but there is a railway crossing very near the intersection, and that adds a whole new level of complexity. We worked with KiwiRail and one of their key drivers was safety of the railway line and so a two-lane roundabout was the preferred option, with traɝc lights controlling access to the railway crossing. We expect the roundabout to be completed late 2023.” Local company United Civil Construction were awarded the contract for main contractor for the bridge construction, and along with the many other businesses involved in the project, took the opportunity to employ younger people for the proMect, eectively helping them into longer term employment.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=