State Highway 20B Early Improvements Update

24 April 2020

Kia ora koutou,

Work is set to resume on State Highway 20B (‘SH20B’) after New Zealand moves to Covid-19 Alert Level 3 on Tuesday 28 April.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has been working closely with Fulton Hogan and Construction Health and Safety NZ to plan for a safe return to work in SH20B following the end of the Level 4 lockdown period.

While some essential state highway maintenance work has continued during the lockdown in order to keep the network safe for the movement of essential goods and to support lifeline functions, all non-essential maintenance work and capital project work was stopped with the move to Alert Level 4 on March 26.

At Level 3, a range of new measures will be in place including restricted access to the construction site, requirements for workers to maintain physical distancing, and the use of additional protective clothing.

A small number of staff will be on site performing set-up activities on Tuesday 28 April and work will resume on the SH20B site at 7am, Wednesday 29 April.

You will see small groups of staff maintaining their `bubble’ etiquette at various sites along SH20B carrying out topsoil stripping, hydro-excavation, utility and bridge works.

The work sites will comply with mandatory requirements under Level 3 which include:

• a full back-to-work induction that includes safety briefing
• mandatory use of PPE
• hygiene protocols
• contact tracing and record keeping rules for entering and leaving the workspace
• social distancing
• waste disposal and cleaning of tools and machinery.

All office staff and those who are not physically required to be on site will continue to work from home until it is safe to return.

Our priority is to ensure that the construction site along SH20B remain safe for your travel and we will keep proactive traffic management in place and appropriate environmental controls.

Please respect physical distancing and do not approach our teams or enter our work sites. We ask that you take care travelling through the site and keep to the posted speed limit.

Thank you for your patience.

Ngā mihi nui

Contact us

If you have any questions regarding the SH20B Early Improvements project, please call us at 0800 796 796 or email sh20B@nzta.govt.nz.

Project overview

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and Auckland International Airport Limited are upgrading State Highway 20B for better and more reliable travel options with a new shared path and additional priority lanes between Pukaki Creek Bridge and State Highway 20.

This project will integrate with improved transport facilities within the airport precinct along SH20B and at the upgraded Puhinui Station Interchange.

The project is the first step of the Southwest Gateway programme to provide better public transport, walking and cycling facilities with safer and more efficient freight movements to, from and around Southwest Auckland.

Fulton Hogan undertakes this work on behalf of Waka Kotahi.

Key early improvements on State Highway 20B to be delivered by 2021 include:

• A safe place for people to walk and ride bikes
• Safety improvements including central median barrier protection, improved lighting and a reduced speed
• Improved pavement, drainage and stormwater treatment
• Two improved intersections at Campana Road and Manukau Memorial Gardens.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency works to create transport solutions for all New Zealanders – from helping new drivers earn their licences, to leading safety campaigns to investing in public transport, state highways and local roads.

For more information on the project, you can also visit our website at www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/southwest-gateway/20connect/