Thursday, 26 January, 2015

Work to start on new overpass

Work on a new bridge over Curletts Road linking Wigram Road into Birmingham Drive via Magdala Place, will start on 12 February.

Christchurch City Council Transport and City Streets Unit Manager Richard Topham says the new overpass will accommodate additional travel demand resulting from rapid development in the south-west of the city including Wigram, Aidanfield, Awatea and Halswell.

"Earthquake recovery growth and new housing development in this part of the city has been extensive, so it is great to be able to provide efficient access into the central city and particularly linking with the large employment zone of Blenheim Road," Mr Topham says.

The link provides a connection between the major cycle routes either side of Curletts Road and will connect with proposed improvements to Birmingham Drive and Annex Road.

"This is a large project costing $30 million. It has been five years in the planning so it's great to see it finally getting underway," he says.

The project originated with the Greater Christchurch Urban Development Strategy, which identified the south west area of Christchurch as a key growth area. The South West Area Plan Transport Assessment investigated various options for creating new arterial corridors to and from that part of the city and the Wigram-Magdala Link was one of the selected routes.

Scheme planning started in 2009 and consultation on those plans was completed in August 2012. After a further round of public consultation on the designation of land required for the overpass, this was granted in December 2013. Detailed design of the link was completed last December.

The contract for construction of the overpass has been awarded to Hawkins Infrastructure. Construction is expected to be finished about October 2016.

Hawkins Infrastructure Senior Project Manager Chad Bevan says the company is pleased and excited to be involved with the Wigram-Magdala Link.

A newsletter has been delivered to property owners and businesses in the area immediately surrounding the work site. It is available online and people can sign up to receive updates at http://www.ccc.govt.nz/wigrammagdala.

"Anyone who currently uses these roads or who might use the connection when it is finished would be interested in the updates," Mr Bevan says. "Our contact details are in the newsletter and people are welcome to give us feedback on the site works."
Over the next few months key aspects of the work include establishing site offices, service and utility relocation, pre-work inspections on directly-affected properties, ground improvement work, abutment stripping and earthworks, culvert and drainage work, and retaining wall and embankment construction.

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