Temporary changes on SH58 during Stage 1 works

Expect a speed reduction and road layout changes from next Sunday evening 20 October when construction gets underway on the first stage of the State Highway 58 safety improvements.

The work, from the Hayward’s interchange to Mt Cecil Road, involves widening the road to include an uphill crawler lane, adding sealed shoulders, installing road barriers and new design curve corrections.

From Monday, to allow for construction requirements, there will be a 50km/hour speed limit along this section of highway through the work area until the project is complete. 

A temporary road layout will be used for the duration of the work, with variations that will occur to allow for construction. Initially this includes removing the westbound uphill passing lane, from Hugh Duncan Street to the reservoirs at the top of the hill, and new line markings on the road to allow enough space for the work site and truck movements. It is therefore very important to slow down and take extra care in the area, to keep contractors and other road users safe.

We appreciate your patience with these changes while the area is under construction.

The Stage 1 safety improvements are due to be completed in early 2021.

Dean Bennett is feeling upbeat about starting construction on the State Highway 58 safety improvements.

Gearing up for construction

A construction crew is tooling up to start work on the State Highway 58 Stage 1 safety improvements. Heavy plant and equipment are being brought in and final touches are being made to construction packs about detailed health and safety and the mechanics of construction activity for workers. Site induction and environmental training continues as more workers arrive.

Construction Manager Dean Bennett says the team is excited and enthusiastic about getting the project going and morale is high.

From the 20th of October, they will be preparing for construction by marking the road and putting up concrete barriers at night, along the Stage 1 area from the Haywards end of SH58 to Mt Cecil Rd. Stop/Go traffic management will be in place to accommodate this early installation work and to guide motorists.

“Altering the road layout is vital to enable the works to be safely carried out over the next year or so,” says Dean.

But before the first sod is turned on 21 October, local iwi will bless the site - a practice Dean says is essential before construction starts.

In the first week of construction there will be some tree clearing and culvert works away from the road.

Dean says a major challenge coming up will be doing earthworks on steep embankments near live traffic on the highway.

“Careful planning and strategic traffic management will help us to overcome this challenge,’ says Dean.

Aluminium portacoms, anchored at the bottom of the Haywards Hill, are home to the construction crew. Kitted out with computers on desks and a meeting room, this is where the day-to-day operations are mulled-over and talked about. The lunch area for workers, is the hub of the office, while a hard-wearing stainless-steel barbeque and netted vege planters rest at the office entrance. Gone are the days it seems of the simple smoko shed.

Construction begins at the Hayward’s interchange end of the highway and will quickly ramp up to cover multiple sites concurrently.

More information

For more information on the SH58 improvements project, contact us at sh58safety@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/sh58-improvements