O Mahurangi

31 January 2025

Future highway alignment heading towards the Whangaparāoa intersection.

Whangaparāoa update

Our work at the Whangaparāoa section of the project is progressing well with the majority of the bulk earthworks now complete between the Wēiti River and Whangaparāoa Road. In mid-2024, we began the relocation and installation of underground services that will enable our team to move to the next phase of works, as we continue the construction of the main alignment for the future Whangaparāoa intersection.

The upcoming, long term temporary closure at the Cedar Terrace intersection is expected to happen in March and be in place for at least 12 months. During this time, all Cedar Terrace traffic will be detoured via Scott and Norfolk Roads.

We will also be installing temporary steel roadside safety barriers along Whangaparāoa Road next to our work site to ensure our team has a safe working space, while maintaining two lanes of traffic.

Pier 4 second pile concrete pour under way earlier this week.

Large concrete pour successfully completed

With the successful concrete pour for the Pier 4 piles, the Wēiti River channel has been reopened. While the channel is open, vessels travelling upstream of the worksite will pass through a restricted navigable gap between the eastern and western sections of the temporary platform.

During our working day as construction continues, loads will regularly be lifted over the navigable gap requiring the channel to be intermittently closed for short durations at these times. This is to keep all river users safe and ensure no vessel passes beneath a suspended load.

We ask all vessels to notify the project via VHF CH73 or 0800 PENLINK and our project team will direct you accordingly via safety vessel and/ or hand signals.

Survey team: Left to right - back row: Ed, Roshan, Ahmad, Wesley; front row: Brenda, Ihor, Matthew.

Staff spotlight: Survey Team

The Survey Team are responsible for the collection of data across the project using specialist equipment. They work with the Construction and Design Teams to ensure that what is being built on site is consistent with the design drawings and specifications. This is done by accurately transferring the design information on to the ground for the Construction Team, ensuring they build in the correct position and to the correct levels.

The Survey Team are responsible for carrying out as-built surveys and producing the final as-built drawings. As-built is a term used in construction that is standard practice to accurately record the final drawings of a project and show what was built.

The team:

• Survey Manager Wesley oversees the survey team which involves managing the day-to-day operations, assigning requested tasks, ensuring they are carried out accurately, and within the specified time frame. Wesley has more than 25 years experience in the construction industry, both overseas and in New Zealand.
• Senior Surveyor Ed has overall responsibility for all survey related tasks on the Wēiti River bridge. He brings a wealth of knowledge and 35 years experience in the construction industry.
• Surveyor Ihor carries out tasks in multiple areas across the project site. He was the lead surveyor on Duck Creek Road bridge and is currently carrying out survey work for Bridge 1, (which will cross State Highway 1). 
• Surveyor Brenda also carries out a variety of survey work across the project. One of her primary responsibilities is managing the survey requirements for Bridge 1.
• Surveyor Roshan's main focus is all survey tasks related to Bridge 2, (the bridge aross East Coast Road). He took the lead on all ground improvement work across the project, setting out and producing as-builts of all the wicks drains.
• Graduate Surveyor Matthew is gaining practical experience assisting with survey tasks across the project.
• Computer Aided Design (CAD) Technician Ahmad is responsible for CAD related tasks, including updating as-built drawings, modelling, and various construction work permit drawings.

12 months of change

The photos below show changes happening across our site, from November 2023 to November 2024, with each comparison image taken from the same location.

More information

For more information on the O Mahurangi project, contact us at omahurangi@nzta.govt.nz or by calling 0800 7365 465.

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