Ōtaki to north of Levin update

4 October 2024

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Muaūpoko Tribal Authority, local hapū of Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga and council partner Horowhenua District Council are working together to create a positive legacy for the region while we build a new, safer, efficient, and more reliable State Highway 1 (SH1) from Ōtaki to north of Levin.

In this update we’d like to remind you that consultation is open until 7 October on the Ōtaki to north of Levin (Ō2NL) tolling proposal. We also invite rangatahi to join us at this year’s Future Pathways Careers Expo, and provide updates on the Levin to Foxton safety improvement project and the upcoming speed changes on the Kāpiti Expressway. We also invite you to join us at our next project office open day on Thursday 24 October.

Have your say on the toll proposal for Ō2NL, by 7 October

Consultation is still open for you to have your say on the Ō2NL tolling proposal.

The new Ō2NL highway will be a more resilient, safer and more efficient route, as well as increasing transport choices for the area’s growing population. In line with the Government Policy Statement for land transport 2024 (GPS) we consider tolling for all new roads.

NZTA is seeking feedback on tolling the southern section of 15km of  Ō2NL, from the on/off ramps at Taylors Road (southern half interchange) to the Tararua Road interchange.

Consultation is open until 5pm, Monday 7 October. Find out more and have your say by visiting:

www.nzta.govt.nz/O2NL-tolling

In addition to details of the proposal, the website has information on assessments carried out prior to consultation:

• Ō2NL highway Tolling Assessment Summary
• Ō2NL highway Tolling Indicative Analysis
• Ō2NL highway Tolling Study Report

Brochures with freepost submission forms are also available at your local library or council office.

Drilling rigs will be used to create boreholes to test the ground conditions

Ground investigations soon underway

Over the next few months, you may see the Ō2NL project team out and about, carrying out ground and earthwork investigations around the Ō2NL alignment. This work will provide better understanding of the soil and environment for the Ō2NL project.

We’ll be doing various investigations both above and below the ground, using different types of machinery and personnel and working in different areas over time.

You can expect to see drilling rigs brought in on trucks to create about 150 boreholes to test the ground conditions. We will also conduct cone penetration tests, which involve pushing a probe into the soil. Surveyors will be marking out boundaries and gathering data.

To check groundwater levels, we’ll install monitoring wells in some boreholes. These will be made of PVC tubes and will be backfilled after testing. Soil samples from test pits will be sent to a lab for analysis.

Our team is dedicated to working with the community to minimize the impact of our work on the local ecosystem. What we learn from the various ground conditions contributes to informing the next level of design for the project. We look forward to updating the community on this as work is progressed.

While you may see us in your neighbourhood, note that if we need to access property you own or lease, you’ll hear from us, via your property consultant or property manager, with details of any proposed site investigations.

Ō2NL project at the Future Pathways Expo 2024

Calling all rangatahi!

Join the Ō2NL project at the Future Pathways Expo on Tuesday 22 October from 10am - 2pm at Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, Levin community centre and library to learn about what careers could be available to you in infrastructure.

The expo, which has been organised by the Horowhenua District Council, Mayors Taskforce for Jobs, Ministry of Social Development and community partners, connect rangatahi with employers, training providers and social services to help plan your futures.

Infrastructure projects, like the Ō2NL highway, require all sorts of different people, with different skills to get the job done. People working in a variety of careers including in construction, project management, engineering, ecology, planning, communications and law all have an important role to play. Many of these careers allow you to learn on the job.

Come and have a chat with the team about what kind of careers will be available to you on infrastructure projects, like Ō2NL.

Levin to Foxton safety improvement update

Workers recently completed the installation of flexible median barrier and the construction of two turnaround facilities between Foxton and the intersection of SH1 and Oturoa Road.

We have now started work on the next stage of the project which involves installing median barrier on SH1 between Oturoa Road and the northern intersection of SH1 and Koputaroa Road. We are also constructing a turnaround facility at the Koputaroa Road intersection. All work on this stage of the project is due to be completed by early 2025.

The northern intersection of SH1 and Koputaroa Road is now closed until mid-December to allow for the construction of the turnaround facility. The southern intersection of SH1 and Koputaroa Road remains open.

Closing this intersection allows crews to safely construct the turnaround facility. It also means we can finish the turnaround facility in a shorter amount of time than if we were to have left one lane open – reducing the length of disruption and achieving better value for money.

More information about the SH1 Levin to Foxton safety improvements is available on our website:

nzta.govt.nz/levin-to-foxton

Project office open day – Thursday 24 October

Our next Ōtaki to north of Levin project office open day is on Thursday 24 October, from 1pm - 5pm.

Please join us at 171 Oxford Street, Levin to speak with the team about the new highway and other projects in your area.

If you’d like to talk with the team between events, you can email us at O2NL@nzta.govt.nz or phone 0508 625 4636.

Upcoming speed changes on the Kāpiti Expressway

We’ll soon be increasing the speed limit to 110km/h on the Kāpiti Expressway. The new speed limit will apply from north of the Poplar Avenue at Raumati interchange to south of the Ōtaki northern interchange.

We’ll announce the date of the speed limit change in the coming weeks but until then, remember the maximum speed limit you can travel in ideal conditions remains 100km/h.

You can find more information at www.nzta.govt.nz/kapitispeed  

More information

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/o2nl to find out about the new highway and other projects happening in this corridor.

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