CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Read our construction update to see what has been achieved and what is coming up on the Karangahape Road Enhancements project. 

ALERT LEVEL 2

Construction on the Karangahape Road Enhancement project continues under Alert Level 2. The project team continues the strict protocols of increased hygiene, additional H&S measures and work bubbles.

Upcoming Section - Cobden Street to Newton Road

The section between Cobden Street and Newton Road was planned to commence on Friday 18 September 2020.  However the traffic management approval is still pending, which means this stage is likely to commence next week instead. 

Please take note of the temporary traffic management changes that will take place once work commences.  Please follow the temporary traffic management signs.

Change in temporary traffic management - Cobden Street 

During construction there will be no right turn into Cobden Street from Karangahape Road.  This is to allow the construction of the speed table which will be done in halves.  Traffic exiting Cobden Street can turn either left  or right at all times.

While Cobden Street will be down to one lane - two way access will be allowed.  This means a stop/go operation will be in place during the day and at night this will become a priority give-way.

Change in temporary traffic management - Edinburgh Street  

The final design for Edinburgh Street and Karangahape intersection is one way only for vehicles exiting left into Karangahape Road. This set up will come into effect when construction commences on this section. Vehicles that would usually exit Edinburgh Street onto Karangahape Road are required to exit left.  This means that there will be no right hand turn from Edinburgh Street into Karangahape Road and Howe Street and no right hand turn from Karangahape Road into Edinburgh Street.  

A loading zone will be maintained in Edinburgh Street outside the site work

Change in temporary traffic management - Gundry Street

During construction, Gundry Street will temporarily become a one way only for vehicles entering Gundry Street from Karangahape Road. Vehicles that would usually exit Gundry Street onto Karangahape Road are advised to utilise Edinburgh Street or please follow the detours.  This means that no vehicles can turn left or right into Karangahape Road from Gundry Street but vehicles in Karangahape road can access Gundry Street from the left or right hand turn during construction.

A loading zone will be maintained in Gundry Street outside the site work

Picture:  Edinburgh Street - final design layout

Liverpool Street to Queen Street 

Works to continue with the kerbline and cycle way at the Queen Street corner will commence once the exposed cables have been relocated by the utility providers.

Queen Street to Pitt Street

Upcoming works - what to expect: 

• Continue installation of utility services, rain garden and ducting from the mid block pedestrian crossing towards Queen Street.  Please note that pedestrian access will be maintained but will be changed to accommodate the works in this area
• Commence construction of the traffic light foundations at the mid block pedestrian crossing 
• Continue construction of rain garden at Pitt Street corner
• Commence rain garden construction at Queen Street corner

Mercury Lane to West Terrace

East Street speed table construction work is complete in the carriageway. This will be opened opened up to vehicles once line markings are complete.  

Upcoming works - what to expect:

• Finalise line marking for loading zones and parking
• Finalise pram crossing and pavers near Babelogue
• Planting of Nikau trees at West Terrace and Mercury Lane
• Commence low level planting of all rain gardens in this section 
• Finalise cycleway asphalt near West Terrace and Mercury Lane

Photo:  East Street speed table 

Ponsonby Road to Hereford Street

Work to install permanent traffic lights foundations, new pram crossings, traffic islands and kerbline at the corner of Ponsonby Road has been completed.  Installation of the new street lights in this stage has also been completed.

The existing traffic lights will be removed next week and the new lights will be installed in their place. 

Upcoming works - what to expect: 

• Livening street lights 

Howe Street to Overbridge:  

Upcoming works - what to expect: 

• Planting trees in the tree pit outside Thirsty Dog on Karangahape Road
• Install street lights in this section

Street furniture and landscaping

Street furniture:

This activity is ongoing and you will see a mixture of single seat and benches being installed.

Lights:

​Upcoming night works what to expect: Upper Queen Street to West Terrace:

On Tuesday night 22 September 2020 the lights between Upper Queen Street and West Terrace will be installed.   

Please follow the temporary traffic management signs and detours during these works

This work is expected to take one night to complete, with backup dates in case of poor weather. Please note there will be intermittent medium volume noise e.g. trucks and diggers moving and loading heavy equipment but we will endeavour to have this work complete by 10:30pm

These night works are taking place in the evening due to high pedestrian and vehicle numbers during the day.

Landscaping:

Trees are being returned to Karangahape Road and the rest will follow as we get the traffic management approval. 

In the end, 33 new trees will be added to the streetscape. A mix of Nikau (19), Pohutukawa Mistral (12) and London Plane (2).  Tree species have been selected to tie in with the character and heritage of Karangahape Road.  They must also be compatible with the road and easily maintained as this is a key public transport route, that caters for double-decker buses.  The height of Nikau trees makes them well suited to be planted alongside bus routes. 

As construction progresses, more trees and rain gardens will be planted, bringing shade, shelter, and a natural stormwater filtration system to the area. 

Information on landscaping and vegetation plans are on AT’s website

STAGING & LOADING ZONES 

Parking and Loading zones:

Below is a map of the Karangahape Road precinct showing the construction stages, temporary bus stop relocations and loading zones.

Auckland Transport’s parking enforcement is working to ensure parking is being correctly used throughout the Karangahape Road precinct.  If you have a request for parking enforcement, please call Auckland Council on 09 301 0101.

Loading zone map below 

CYCLEWAY - SOFT OPENING:

During the works, sections of the newly constructed cycleway have remained closed for safety reasons as they did not link up along the street. However, as works are progressing, we can facilitate a soft opening of the cycleway now instead of opening it fully at the end of the project.  In conjunction with AT and Bike Auckland we have and will continue to open sections of the cycleway - there will be temporary signage and road markings to help guide cyclists on along the cycleway.  Please follow these signs and dismount when required

While this "soft opening" will allow cyclists to utilise sections of the cycleway that do not have active construction in them, it is important to note that construction work will take place later at some of these ‘open’ cycleway sections to finalise construction.     

In these instances, we will have the relevant traffic management in place to indicate these work locations, but we will endeavour to maintain cycleway access.

Temporary road markings are completed on the eve of the opening.

The following are planned sections to be opened - dates will be confirmed in the upcoming newsletters:

• Overbridge South Side: TBC
• Symonds Street to Queen Street:  TBC 

Photo: Cycleway signage

If you have any construction queries during the project, we encourage you to contact us on 
0800 KRD JFC (0800 573 532) or karangahaperoad@jfcltd.co.nz

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