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An aerial view of the Huntly section from the Northern interchange, past Lake Kimihia, up and over Taupiri Range to the Gordonton Road interchange

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July 2017

It may be the depths of winter but work continues on Waikato’s biggest ever infrastructure project, the Waikato Expressway.

The wet summer and autumn did not help with earthworks targets on both the Hamilton and Huntly sections and they will be looking to make up some lost ground next season – October to April.

But the structures teams have been busy with bridge-building programmes over winter. Hamilton has 16 bridges along its 22km length with work under way on nine of them. The 15.2km Huntly section has nine bridges, with work well advanced on six and another about to start.

“We can’t do a lot of earthworks over winter but the wet weather doesn’t stop the structures crews on both these sites,” says NZ Transport Agency spokesperson Peter Simcock.

The final section to start construction, Longswamp, is now well under way, while the finishing touches go on Rangiriri ahead of a significant historical and cultural opening event in November.

The entire project and each section has a sizeable community of followers. To join them and keep in touch “like” the Waikato Expressway Facebook page (10,000 others already have) and also click here to get more information about the overall project and sign up to section Project Updates.

 

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Longswamp
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Bridge piling started this week for the Paddy Road overbridge which will take local traffic over the expressway.

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Longswamp

The 5.9km Longswamp section sits between the Rangiriri and Mercer sections and involves four-laning the existing alignment. So there is plenty of widening to do which involves earth works and drainage works.

The contractor is working on the south-bound lanes first, and when those are finished next year all traffic will be on those new lanes while the north-bound lanes are constructed.

There’s a bridge to build over the expressway at Paddy Road and piling is under way – six piles (three sets of two) and 35-40 metres deep. This is a key part in strengthening the local road network for people coming and going from the interchanges at Hampton Downs and Te Kauwhata to properties at Hall Road, Paddy Road, Whangamarino Road etc.

These local people are being very patient while work goes on, and right-turns in and out of their roads are closed. Thank you for your understanding while we get this project done – the end result will be safer for all residents, families and their friends.

Another big change is the closure of the northern access to Wayside Road from July 17. Properties will be accessed from off the interchange at Te Kauwhata Road or via Travers Road. Again it’s about safety and separating local traffic from the expressway.

Longswamp will be fully operational in early 2019.

Find out more about the project here.

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Rangiriri
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The symbolic reinterpretation is under way at the paa site - scene of the 1863 Battle of Rangiriri.

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Rangiriri

The 4.8km Rangiriri section was open to four-lane traffic and 100km/h speeds in April this year.

Minor finishing works continues including a fit for purpose upgrade to the section of old SH1 which will be revoked and handed over to Waikato District Council.

The main focus now is building a symbolic reinterpretation of the Rangiriri Paa – a project within the project.  The old SH1 cutting through the paa site has been filled in and the site is being developed in a representative way, recognising its importance in New Zealand’s history as the site of the 1863 Battle of Rangiriri and pivotal point in the Waikato War.

We are planning a major public event to mark the completion of the Rangiriri work in November.

More information is on the project page here.

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A bird's eye view of the Ralph Road bridge and diversion road on the Huntly section.

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Huntly

The big earth-moving gear is taking a break over winter – some of it has gone to Kaikoura to help with the SH1 rebuild after last year’s earthquake.

But the bridge sites are a hive of activity, despite some fluctuating stream levels. Over summer some of these streams were at record high levels but now things are back to manageable flows the Fulton Hogan-HEB team is pressing on with the structures programme.

That has seen concrete decking recently poured at the Ralph Road and Whangamaire Stream bridges and MSE walls and piling going on at others.

Despite the wet summer and autumn 1.8 million cubic metres of earth was moved – not bad against a target of 2 million.

Project plans allow for rainy days but in the 120 days from February to May there were just 38 sunny days. So that means a bit more to do this coming season starting in October with still more than 1 million cubic metres to move.

Meanwhile some work has continued to cut 57m into the Taupiri Pass. Check the April-May timelapse and the latest video flyover here and July aerial photos here and keep an eye out for a new Project Update out soon.

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Hamilton
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Looking along the Hamilton section from Lake Road across the greens fields towards Rototuna.

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Hamilton

The CityEdge Alliance team are also focusing on bridges until the big gear rolls out again in spring.

A milestone is looming with the Gordonton Road overbridge likely to open to traffic in early October, about the same time as the SH26-Morrinsville Road bridge opens.

Most of the Hamilton local road bridges go over the expressway which gets dug out below. There are four exceptions where the expressway goes up and over – the railway/Ryburn Road bridge, and at Powells Road, Pardoa Boulevard (Greenhill interchange) and Puketaha Road  bridges.

The 22km project requires about 3.6 million cubic metres of earth to be moved, and the team moved 1 million in their first season. They are now getting established this month for work around Puketaha Road so watch for changes there.

What’s happening currently, north to south:

Piling is complete at Osborne Road bridge and continues down the road at Kay Road bridge. Gordonton Road bridge leads the way with preparation for the concrete deck pour ahead of opening to traffic in early Ocober.

The beams are coming soon for the East Coast Main Trunk Rail bridge so Ruakura Road will close over three days on 15, 16 and 17 July when 24 beams will be lifted into place.

The beams are in place at Morrinsville Road bridge ahead of the concrete deck pour. The Mangaonua Stream diversion works are now complete and crane pads for bridge construction are being prepared. The Matangi Road bridge beams are in place ahead of the deck pour.

Tree felling is finished in the Mangaone and Mangaharakeke gullies, making way for  bridge construction.

There is lots happening down at the Southern interchange where the East West Link bridge building continues, along with piling for the big retaining wall.

Don’t forget the Visitor Centre at the site office on Percival Road is open 10am-3pm weekdays; 9am-12 noon first Saturday of the month.

Construction is due for completion in 2020.

You can read more about the project here and view the aerial flyover here.

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More information

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For more information on the Waikato Expressway, contact us at waikatoexpressway@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/waikato-expressway

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