13 May 2015

Last section of Western Corridor underway

Work on the last section of the Western Corridor in Christchurch is underway with the Transport Minister, Simon Bridges, turning the first sod of the $122 million project today.

The new Western Belfast Bypass, a 5km section of highway, will help to provide better and safer links throughout Greater Christchurch and will help reduce congestion and travel times, as well as support the economic growth of the South Island.

It is the final stage of the $322 million Western Corridor (State highway 1) and, together with the Southern Motorway and Northern Arterial, makes up the Christchurch Motorways project. The Christchurch Motorways project is a Road of National Significance, in which the Government is investing more than $900 million to build.

The Western Corridor will be the first of the projects to be completed. It will run from Belfast through to Hornby and is on schedule to open in 2017/18.

“It is fantastic to see such rapid progress being made on the Christchurch Motorways projects. When completed, this corridor will help ease congestion for commuters travelling into Christchurch from the north during peak travel times. With freight volumes through Christchurch expected to more than double in the next 20 years, it’ll seamlessly connect hubs to the west and south of the city with the Christchurch International Airport,” Mr Bridges says.

Completion of this new corridor will improve travel for Belfast residents.

“Belfast is a growth area with a lot of residential, commercial and recreational development. By diverting traffic to the west, Belfast will become a safer community, where walking and cycling will be seen as more attractive transport choices and there will be better links to public transport,” he says.

The new Western Belfast Bypass will run from the end of the current Northern Motorway, 5km across floodplain to reconnect with SH1 at Johns Road. It will take three years to build.

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