Express CONNECT

23 December 2022

A huge amount of work goes in behind the scenes, not only to complete the physical works, but also to ensure all quality and safety standards, as well as documentation and communication requirements, are met before we open the expressway to live traffic.

We started this project in 2017 and, like many large projects over the last few years, we’ve certainly faced our share of challenges and had to adapt the programme along the way. I’m just stoked we’ve been able to get there before the extremely busy holiday season.

While the new road will enable free flowing traffic, the holiday traffic peaks will bring their own challenges and we expect there will be some congestion at on/off ramps and where lanes merge. We encourage you to familiarise yourself with these areas - more information on this further down.  

As you know, opening pre-Christmas involved an extremely tight timeframe and we still have a few final works at the southern ‘tie-in’ at Peka Peka to be completed when we return on 9 January 2023 (weather depending), before we start on local arterial road works to finish the whole project. We’ll also be finishing safety works associated with the shared path so that can be opened.

As well as construction works, we’ve completed the installation of all new expressway signage, the Ōtaki River Bridge marker and the gateway sculptures at both ends of Ōtaki (with our time capsule buried in the area around the southern sculpture).

While we couldn’t plan a public open day due to the uncertainty around the road opening, I was thrilled that Ngā Hapū o Ōtaki was able to carry out a Whakawātea on Wednesday morning that was followed later that morning by a small official ribbon-cutting event with Associate Transport Minister Kieran McAnulty and other VIPs at the redeveloped Pare-o-Matangi reserve.

For motorists, the switch over to the new expressway will occur without many noticing the change at the tie-ins to the MacKays to Peka Peka expressway at the south end and into State Highway 1 at the northern end by Taylors Road. Enjoy driving on the new road and have a happy and safe Christmas. We look forward to seeing you in January 2023.

For further information on the project please visit our information centre (which has updated photos and brochures), check out our website www.nzta.govt.nz/pp2o, call us on 0800 PP2O INFO or email pp2o@nzta.govt.nz

Ngā mihi
Chris Hunt, Project Director

Peka Peka to Ōtaki Expressway officially opened

The opening of the Peka Peka to Ōtaki (PP2Ō) Expressway was marked at an official event yesterday on a typically warm and sunny Kāpiti morning.

Guests were welcomed by Ngā Hapū o Ōtaki and a succession of speakers, including Assoc. Minister of Transport Keiran McAnulty and Kāpiti Mayor Janet Holborow, who all acknowledged the huge difference the project will make for people’s safety and quality of life.

Associate Minister of Transport, Kieran McAnulty, said he was looking forward to driving a safe and modern route, and acknowledged the enormous efforts to complete the work ahead of Christmas.

“You should be very proud of what you’ve achieved here – this new road will make a huge difference to the lives of many as they travel around the region and result in better and safer journeys for everyone.”

Check out the video of the opening event.

The PP2Ō team has faced significant challenges over the years including horrendous weather, design changes and the ongoing impacts of COVID-19. Despite all of these, an outstanding and sustained team effort has meant this spectacular road is now ready for people to use.

Ōtaki River Bridge marker and gateway sculptures installed

The bridge marker is now installed in its final resting place at the north-eastern corner of the new Ōtaki River Bridge!

The marker itself was made by Riverside Engineering and the tip created by Ōtaki College students, so a real local effort was involved. The marker will be up-lit at night and complements the lighting along the new shared path for walkers/cyclists - separate from road traffic - which goes over the bridge.

In addition, both gateway sculptures are now in place at the northern and southern ends of Ōtaki providing iconic entranceways into the township.

How to use the expressway

We now have maps showing where the expressway's on/off ramps are to go with the descriptions we shared with you in our last issue. These should make the location of the access points even clearer! Check out the below.

Northern Ōtaki connections

HEADING NORTH

Getting on the expressway:
• If you’re heading north on the old State Highway 1 (SH1) in Ōtaki township, access is via the northbound on-ramp just north of the Mill Road roundabout (by the BP service station) – look for the sign saying ‘EWY North, Palmerston North, Taupo’.

HEADING SOUTH

Getting on the expressway:
• If you’re on SH1 north of Ōtaki, just continue driving onto the expressway.

Getting off the expressway
• If you’re heading south to Ōtaki, exit via the southbound off-ramp just north of Ōtaki township – look for the sign saying ‘Ōtaki, Ōtaki Beach, Te Horo’ (if you miss this exit point, you’ll need to go all the way down to Peka Peka to turn around).
• If you’re heading south to Te Horo or Peka Peka, exit at Ōtaki as above and continue on the old SH1.

Southern Ōtaki connections

HEADING NORTH

Getting off the expressway:
• If you’re heading north to Ōtaki, exit via the northbound off-ramp at Ōtaki Gorge Road – look for the sign saying ‘Ōtaki, Ōtaki Beach, Te Horo’ (if you miss this exit, there’s a safe turnaround area north of Taylor’s Road just past the northern end of the expressway).

HEADING SOUTH

Getting on the expressway:
• If you’re in Ōtaki township, access to the expressway is via the southbound on-ramp at the Ōtaki Gorge Road roundabout – look for the signs saying ‘Ōtaki Gorge Road, Tararua Forest Park’ and ‘EWY South Wellington’.

Peka Peka connections

HEADING NORTH

Getting on the expressway:
• If you’re already on the MacKays to Peka Peka section of the expressway (which runs between the northern end of the Transmission Gully motorway to Peka Peka) further south, just continue driving onto the PP2Ō section at Peka Peka.
• If you’re heading north on the old State Highway 1 (SH1) from Waikanae, access is via the northbound on-ramp at Peka Peka.

HEADING SOUTH

Getting off the expressway:
• If you’re heading south to Peka Peka, remain on the expressway through to Peka Peka and exit using the southbound off-ramp – look for the sign saying ‘Peka Peka, Waikanae’.

Updated expressway map now available

If you're keen to see the route of the expressway and where the on/off ramps are located, pick up a brochure – which contains a map and details about the new road's access points – from our information centre.

The information centre is located at 216 Main Highway Ōtaki and is open 9-5pm Monday – Friday, Saturday 9am-4pm and Sunday 10am-4pm.

The map can also be viewed/downloaded as a larger image here:

PP2Ō Expressway map

Upcoming construction milestones: Northern area

• Construction of the northern-most wetland adjacent to the expressway: Jan 23.
• Completion of Pare-o-Matangi Reserve redevelopment works: Jan–Mar 23.
• Completion of County Road paving and surfacing works: Jan 23.
• Completion of remaining asphalt and line marking works to Ōtaki Main Road North (old SH1): from Jan 23.
• Second coat sealing to Taylors Rd and Rahui Road: Feb – April 23.

Central area

• Second coat sealing to Old Hautere Rd, School Rd and Gear Rd: Feb–April 23.
• Completion of asphalt approaches to Te Horo overbridge: Jan/Feb 23.
• Construction and completion of the remaining paving and barriers at the Ōtaki Gorge Rd/existing SH1 altered intersection: Jan–Mar 23.

Southern area

• Completion of remaining top surfacing (EMOGPA) of the road at the southern tie-in: Jan 23.
• Installation of a signalised crossing at Marycrest (Makahuri): Jan–Mar 23.
• Completion of remaining paving and barriers works associated with the Local Arterial Road (LAR) post-traffic switch to the expressway: Jan-April 23.
• Second coat sealing for the LAR: Feb–April 23.

The PP2Ō project engages with community businesses

Over the years, we’ve worked with some great local businesses and have got to know local retailers and hospitality providers through our work.

One of the local business owners we’ve worked with is Mark Coote - pictured below - who's been the official photographer for the M2PP and PP2Ō Expressway projects, providing regular aerial and site photos over the last nine years.

Every month, he's gone out on site to take photos of how construction work has been progressing and bimonthly has flown the length of the expressway taking magnificent aerial shots. All in all, he’s taken a total of 43 flights for aerial photography on both expressway projects.

A Kāpiti local, Mark has seen the transformation of the road through the eye of his lens and says he’s really enjoyed seeing how construction progressed from initial earthworks to the final surface of the road.

“I enjoy learning about how these incredibly complex projects and the different disciplines come together to create the final product,” Mark says.

“It’s amazing what you see up close from the dots making up the line markings to the perfectly straight lines of the final road stretching out for kilometres from the air.”

Thank you Mark for all your hard work and giving us a visual idea of every stage of the project!

Ōtaki – come and experience our manaakitanga

Whether you're keen on a day at the beach, a bargain or a bite to eat, soon everyone will be able to more easily experience what beautiful Ōtaki has to offer! Recently the team spoke to local businesses about what Ōtaki and the new expressway means to them.

See what they had to say in our video.

More information

For more information on the Peka Peka to Ōtaki Expressway, contact us at 0800 7726 4636 or email pp2o@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/pp2o