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.

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 drainage at the mid block pedestrian crossing.  Please note that pedestrian access will be maintained but will be changed to accommodate the works in this area.  
• Remove two old light poles to allow the new light pole foundations to be completed
• Continue with paving at the bus stop build out
• Continue with drainage upgrade in the carriageway
• Continue construction of rain garden at Pitt Street corner

Upper Queen Street to Mercury Lane:

Upcoming night works - what to expect:

On Tuesday 8 September 2020 night work dig out the tree pits and plant the Nikau trees at the mid block pedestrian crossing and Upper Queen Street corner commences.

This work is expected to take 3 night to complete with backup nights this week in case of weather delays.  Please note there will be intermittent medium volume noise e.g. trucks and diggers moving but we will endeavour to have the noisy work complete by 22:30.

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

 Upcoming works - what to expect:

• Dig out tree pits and plant Nikau trees at mid block pedestrian crossing and Upper Queen Street corner

Mercury Lane to West Terrace

East Street speed table construction has progressed well and is being constructed in halves to maintain access.  This work is expected to take approximately 4 weeks.

Change in temporary traffic management - East Street:

During the day East Street will be maintained as a two way via stop go operations. 

At night from (5pm to 7am) East Street will be one way only for vehicles turning left out of East Street onto Karangahape Road - this means there will be no left hand turn into East Street from Karangahape Road at night

A traffic management plan has been submitted to change this intersection to a signalised intersection and may come into effect this week - this is pending traffic management approval. 

Upcoming works - what to expect:

• Continue with East Street speed table construction
• Pour speed table concrete
• Commence speed table pavers installation
• Continue with kerbs and pavers at the Mercury Lane corner 
• Finalise channel  and kerbs near Day Street
• Finalise cycleway asphalt near West Terrace

Howe Street Corners:  

The new traffic lights have been installed and additional trees have been planted.

Upcoming works - what to expect: 

• Commence low level planting in the rain gardens on both Howe Street corners

Ponsonby Road to Hereford Street

Work to install permanent traffic lights and complete surrounding areas, including the new pram crossings, traffic islands and kerbline at the corner of Ponsonby Road has commenced.  A change in lane layout is in place while this work takes place, however vehicle and footpath access will be maintained around the work.

Upcoming works - what to expect: 

• Continue construction of the traffic islands for the traffic lights
• Continue foundations and ducting for the new traffic lights
• Continue construction of new pram crossing
• Install new street lights at the newly constructed foundations at three different locations in this stage

Upcoming night works - what to expect:

On Tuesday 8 September 2020 night work takes place to remove the mast arm of the traffic light at the Ponsonby Road corner.

This work is expected to take one full night to complete with a backup night this week in case of weather delays.  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 the noisy work complete by 22:30.

A change in lane layout will be required while this work is taking place, however vehicle and footpath access will be maintained around the work.

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

Street furniture and landscaping

Street furniture:

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

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

Photo: London Plane Trees at Howe Street corner and Nikau and Pohutukawa Mistral near Spaces

STAGING & LOADING ZONES 

Upcoming section: 

The section between Cobden Street and Newton Road is expected to commence Friday 18 September 2020 - pending traffic management approval. 

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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