Ōtaki to north of Levin project update – February 2022

We’re working to build a new highway for regional and through traffic by the end of the decade, as part of our programme to make travel from Ōtaki to north of Levin safer and more resilient, and to increase transport choices for the area’s growing population.  While this progresses, we’re also working on safety improvements and speed reviews to help make the existing state highways safer for everyone who uses them.

Construction work is well underway on the SH57 and SH1 (Kuku) safety improvements, which resumed after the holiday shutdown period. This work includes widened centrelines, stretches of side barriers and improved road surface. And in the coming months, we will be sharing more detail with the community about the progressing new highway design.

Contractors working on Stage 1 of the safety improvements on Kimberley Road.

State Highway 57 detour in place

The second phase of work to make SH57 safer got underway on 9 January 2022. This includes road widening, sections of side barrier and painted wide centrelines. We expect this work to be finished mid-2022, depending on weather.

To complete this work as quickly and safely as possible, the northbound lane between the SH1 intersection and Tararua Road is currently closed to traffic. The southbound lane on SH57 and the east-west connections across SH57 remain open. This means people can use local roads nearest their destination, which will help ensure traffic is filtered across the whole network.

While we do acknowledge this detour is disruptive, it does ensure people aren’t stuck in long traffic queues at Stop/Go points. This would create frequent and significant disruption for people travelling in both directions and the work would take longer to complete. It would also create a much less safe work environment for our road crews. Please note the posted speed for sections under construction is currently 30-50km/h at all times.

This work is to be completed in stages, with stages one and two now underway. We will advertise start dates for stages three, four and five as they are confirmed.
We’d like to thank everyone for their patience while we progress this important safety work.

SH1 safety improvements at Kuku nearly complete

Work resumed last month on the SH1 safety improvements at Kuku. While the work is nearing completion, we understand this has taken longer than we had expected. Heavy rain and flooding in December, together with the holiday shutdown have both been factors in delaying this work.

Crews have been completing the sealing this week. Wet weather is forecast for the weekend so it is unlikely crews will be able to continue the line marking work on Monday 14 February as planned. If this is delayed by rain, crews will be on site Sunday 20/Monday 21 February. Work will get underway on driveway accesses in the area from Tuesday 15 February. This work is expected to take about three weeks to complete.

Safe-hit posts (flexible marker posts) and rumble strips (audible tactile profiles) will be installed in about six weeks’ time, with this work undertaken at night to minimise impact on the traffic.

Further safety improvements on SH1 between Ōtaki and Levin are planned for later this year.

This month’s community group meetings are a chance to talk through the preliminary concept design for the new highway, shown on December’s ‘preferred alignment’ green haze.

Ō2NL Community Group meetings next week

The first Ō2NL Community Group meetings for 2022 will be held next week:

• North of Levin: 6pm-7pm, Monday 14 February, Poroutawhao Hall
• Levin: 6pm-7pm, Tuesday 15 February, Ō2NL Project Office
• Ohau: 6pm-7pm, Wednesday 16 February, Ohau Hall
• Manakau: 6pm-7pm, Thursday 17 February, Manakau School staff room

A talk through December’s preliminary concept design for the new highway will show what’s planned in your area, including the shared user path route, local road connections new and old, water crossings and new ponds.

If you are not signed up for these meetings and would like participate, please email us at O2NL@nzta.govt.nz. We can also provide a Zoom meeting invite for those wishing to attend remotely.

Project office open day in February

The Ō2NL project office in Levin will be open to the public on Tuesday 22 February between 10am-6pm. Come and view the large roll-out map of the preferred alignment and preliminary design for the new highway.

Project team members will be available to answer questions about all the projects within the Ō2NL programme of works. No appointment necessary. The Ō2NL project office is at 171 Oxford Street, Levin.

As New Zealand is currently at Red in the Covid-19 traffic light system, vaccine passes are required to enter the project office – these will be verified by a staff member. We ask all visitors to the office to continue to wear masks and sign in using the QR code. 

Should Covid-19 circumstances change in Levin, or among our project team staff, this open day may need to be postponed.

The old Manawatū bridge is currently under deconstruction.

Manawatū bridge deconstruction

Work continues to deconstruct the old bridge over Manawatū awa. This work is being undertaken in the reverse order of how it was built.

A 550-tonne crane is lifting sections of concrete road deck as they are cut out. The 92m long boom holds the harnesses of our crew safe above the river and uses a pulley block almost 1.5m high.

A wire cutter machine will cut the piers into blocks for careful removal, and we look forward to sharing images of this with the community.

2022 Horowhenua AP&I show

The Ō2NL project team spoke with more than 200 visitors at the AP & I Show over Wellington Anniversary Weekend on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 January.

More information

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/o2nl to find out about our work in the corridor or check out:

• www.nzta.govt.nz/o2nl-proposed-new-highway for information on the new highway, or
• www.nzta.govt.nz/o2nl-safe-speeds, to find out more about speed, or
• www.nzta.govt.nz/o2nl-safer-roads-and-roadsides to find out more about the work to make our existing roads and roadsides safer.

Our email newsletters will let you know when there is new information on our website.

Do you know people who want to know more? They can subscribe here.

For more information on the Ōtaki to north of Levin programme, contact us at O2NL@nzta.govt.nz or call 0508 625 4636.