10 October 2013

Motorists warned of possible delays along the Western Corridor

Motorists are being warned of possible delays along State Highway 1, from Belfast to Hornby, in the next few weeks with a number of road layout changes as part of the work building the four-lane Western Corridor.

The Western Corridor is part of the NZ Transport Agency's roads of national significance programme and involves four-laning 12kms of existing highway and construction of the 4km-long Western Belfast Bypass. It is scheduled for completion in 2018.

A new lane layout, from Sawyers Arms Road to Harewood Road, has already created some additional congestion at peak times and motorists are being asked for their patience with traffic changes, says the NZ Transport Agency's Christchurch Highway Manager Colin Knaggs.

"We are working to minimise delays where we can, while ensuring we maintain both a safe work site and good access for all road users."

He says the work on this 1.3km section of the Western Corridor is scheduled for completion in February.

SH1 (Russley Road) from Avonhead Road to Ryans Road will be reduced to one lane in each direction, either from 9am Friday 18 October to Monday 21 October or 9am Friday 1 November to Monday 4 November, depending on weather, for the final layer of low-noise asphalt to be laid.

The Avonhead Road/Russley Road intersection will be closed while this work is undertaken.

"This section of the Western Corridor was completed in June, apart from the laying of this final asphalt layer on the eastern side of the road because the weather was too cold for sealing.

"This work may result in delays and motorists are advised to take alternative routes or allow extra time for their journey."

Mr Knaggs says in the next three to four weeks traffic on Carmen Road, between Buchanans Road and Waterloo Road, will be moved in stages to the western side of the road, once these two lanes have been chip sealed to enable reconstruction of the eastern lanes to begin. "Again, this work is also subject to weather."

Work on this section of the Western Corridor is scheduled for completion mid next year.

The remaining three sections of the Western Corridor - the Western Belfast Bypass, Johns Road from The Groynes to Sawyers Arms Road, and Russley Road from Harewood Road to Avonhead Park - are all progressing through detailed design/consenting, with construction expected to begin on each in 2014/15.

Mr Knaggs says the Western Corridor is a critical route for supporting the Christchurch rebuild and for the economic growth of Canterbury by providing the efficient movement of people, goods and services, and by linking the Christchurch Airport, the Lyttelton Port of Christchurch and the Central City.

For more information please visit www.nzta.govt.nz

ENDS

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