2. Skinks relocated to ‘lizard hotel’

Before we began the excavation at Horsham Downs Road, our environmental staff searched the fringes of the site for native lizards. 23 copper skinks were captured and released to our predator-free ‘lizard hotel’ in the Mangaonua Gully.

3. Final chip sealing under way on Ruakura Road

Chip sealing of the final section of Ruakura Road is now complete. Road marking, sign installation and finishing works will follow. Our roading team will return in the new year to lay 'low noise' asphalt on top of the chip seal.

We are also completing the new Ruakura Road link to the Ruakura Interchange located in farmland near the University of Waikato. Road design for the Silverdale Road connection is currently being worked on.

4. Action and monitoring in the gullies

In the section of expressway between SH1 Cambridge Road and Matangi Road, we’re building three bridges.

We’ve also busy excavating the expressway route where it crosses the gullies and travels under Matangi Road Bridge.

While we’re working close to our neighbours, we regularly carry out noise monitoring at neighbours’ properties to ensure we’re working within our consented noise limits. Where we are piling for bridges, we also monitor vibration.

5. Big culverts under construction

We’ve begun installing two large culverts in the East West Gully near Birchwood Lane, Tamahere.

These culverts are 75m and 110m long, and the largest is 5m in diameter. Once these are in place, we will place fill on top to build the embankment for the link road between Birchwood Lane and Cherry Lane.

The video below shows sheet piling being carried out to stabilise the banks before we begin excavating the path for a culvert. Sheet piles overlap to form a temporary retaining wall to prevent ground slipping into the culvert trench. They are installed and removed using a vibro-hammer.

6. Construction ramps up in the Southern Interchange

Completion of the two new lanes in and out of Hamilton will tamp up before and after Christmas.

We are placing and compacting a new blend of aggregate called Hi-Lab that provides a more robust road foundation than traditional aggregate blends. It consist primarily of large rock, with enough finer gravel, sand and cement to bind the rock in place when it is compacted.

Starting in December, we will begin laying two layers of asphalt on top of the Hi-Lab. This will be carried out at night, when traffic volumes on SH1 are lighter and won’t interfere with the works or asphalt supply.

More information

For more information on the Hamilton section of the Waikato Expressway, contact us at waikatoexpressway@nzta.govt.nz or phone us on 0800 322 044.

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