Media release

Lake Rd intersection upgrade under way

July 31, 2007

North Shore City Council’s upgrade of the Esmonde Rd/Lake Rd intersection is progressing, despite some challenges.

There will be some disruption to traffic this weekend (August 4 and 5) as contractors lay a new stormwater pipe diagonally under the intersection, but all three traffic lanes will remain open.

“The work will encroach slightly onto the road, so the lanes will be narrowed with traffic cones,” North Shore City’s corridor project team manager, Graham Nell, says.

“We are asking road users to be careful and drive slowly through this intersection while the work is under way.”

Work will begin on Friday night after peak hour traffic has subsided, and continue through the weekend.

The new stormwater pipe will replace the existing pipe, which will not be large enough for the upgraded intersection. The pipe will be installed by drilling under the road, rather than cutting it open, to minimise disruption to traffic.

In the meantime, work has been temporarily suspended on the south western side of the intersection after the discovery of a midden.

“We have had the midden inspected by local iwi and an archaeologist, and are now waiting for clearance from the Historic Places Trust to proceed,” Mr Nell says.

A midden is a site where food remains - often shells, bones, and charcoal from fires - were thrown or buried. These sites often date back to pre-European settlement and can provide evidence of the lifestyle and diet of local Maori, or early European settlers. The Lake Rd midden was discovered when a pohutukawa tree was removed from the site.

“The Historic Places Trust needs to follow the proper procedures to have the midden investigated and documented, and this can take several months,” Mr Nell says.

“In the meantime, work on this part of the project has had to be suspended.”

When complete, the new intersection will provide two left-turn lanes from Lake Rd into Esmonde Rd, as well as cycle lanes and a northbound bus advance lane.

(ends)

© Scoop Media