Happy New Year!

As we say haere mai to a new year, it’s a great opportunity to reflect on the progress of the Pito-one (Petone) to Melling section of Te Ara Tupua.

It was exciting to watch the project take shape through 2022 including the completion of the southern rail underpass and ramps near the Petone train station, the paving and fencing at the southern end, and the section linking Parliament Street to the Hutt River Trail – to name a few.

The design for the permanent pump stations at each of the underpasses had to be revised to meet the latest standards for such infrastructure, meaning completing work in these areas has taken a little longer than expected. It's important to get these pump stations right so the route will not be affected by flooding once it is completed later this year.

Thank you for your ongoing patience and understanding as construction continues. We know this will make Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai (Lower Hutt) a more connected and safer city to get around.

You can find more information and updates on this project on the available at www.nzta.govt.nz/tearatupua

Construction update

The project is on schedule to be complete and opened in mid-2023.

Phase 1 of work around the Petone train station saw the re-surfacing, new kerbing and car park layout completed in early 2022. Works are still progressing on the station upgrade, alongside a new ramp and stairs in the area. The final layout work for the car park is set to be completed in February.

The main cycleway route is progressing well with fencing, lighting and CCTV underway. Portions of the cycleway have already been completed with asphalt, fencing and lighting installed.

All structural work on underpasses is complete, with finishing works, utilities services and surfacing remaining. It was great to complete the installation of 200 facing panels that run along the underpass ramps plus necessary structural works before Christmas.

A new crossing was installed at Marsden Street and new street layout works are underway at Bridge and Marsden streets.

Coming up in 2023

We're excited to enter the final stage of the project. As our on site team return for the New Year, the focus is on:

• completing fencing, kerbing, and cabling works
• installing any remaining lighting and CCTV, plus
• laying the final pavement.

Check out the snapshots below to see our progress so far.

Traffic management update

Traffic management remains in place on State Highway 2 (SH2).

Works on the permanent barrier at Normandale Bridge will be ongoing over the next few weeks as we get started for 2023. Work will include removing the old barrier, relocate services, and install the new concrete barrier. We hope to have this completed by February/March.

Until then, please expect temporary lane closures at times to ensure all necessary work along the motorway side of the cycleway can be completed safely. Please drive safely when passing worksites. Following this work, SH2 will return to its normal flow.

Pump stations at both the northern and southern underpasses are almost complete. From February, there will be a new temporary traffic layout along the Hutt Road to complete the installation of the pump station at the southern underpass.

The Parliament Street closure is also expected to be in place until March.

Recent night works

When it comes to letting people know about construction works, we prioritise the works that will cause the most impact on people. Recently, we missed notifying some neighbours of some overnight work.

For this work on the SH2 side of our site, we encountered several issues before work began which meant adequate notice was not sent out. During the work, we faced further complications when buried objects were uncovered. This caused the installation of new barriers to take longer than expected.

We apologise for not getting in contact about these night works in your area in advance and thank you for your patience and understanding.

Hutt Job and Skills hub announcement

You might have also heard about the creation of a new Jobs and Skills Hub in Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai (Lower Hutt), scheduled to open in the first half of 2023. The Hub is supported by Waka Kotahi, Taranaki Whānui, Ngāti Toa, Hutt City and Greater Wellington Regional councils, along with the Ministry of Social Development. It will also be a key sorce of recruitment for projects including RiverLink and the wider Te Ara Tupua shared pathway.

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More information

For more information on the Petone to Melling section of the Te Ara Tupua project, contact us at P2M@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website nzta.govt.nz/petone2melling