State Highway 20B Early Improvements Project Update

28 August 2020

Kia ora koutou,

State Highway 20B Project Updates keep you up-to-date with project progress and upcoming physical works on State Highway 20B.

(Photo by Asish Kumar) On Monday night a 13-man Fulton Hogan paving team seized a break in the weather and laid 352 tonnes of AC28 asphalt in just over 2.5 hours.

Rising to the paving challenges

With crews working day and night on SH20B it’s possible to drive through a whole new world each week as above-ground changes start to appear. Most noticeable this month is the new paving which we are starting to lay at the western (airport) end of the site.

Auckland’s changeable weather makes programming these paving works particularly difficult. However, despite rain and temperature challenges, more than 2,000 tonnes of asphalt has been laid in the last week alone. 

These newly formed lanes will integrate with the highway and become the new bus lanes either side of SH20B, allowing people to travel quickly to and from the airport, Manukau and beyond in 2021.

By the end of the project around 46,000 tonnes will have been used to create the new, wider and safer highway.

The new paving which runs along the southern side of Puhinui Road is made up of multiple layers of structural material. Kerb and channel will be laid before more layers are added to produce the final surface.

The road ahead....

During September, the existing carriageway will also start to be “reworked” between the Auckland Airport viewing platforms and Orrs Road as we build a structural base for new pavement across all the lanes.

These works will continue to progress eastward along SH20B over the coming months and will involve staged changes to the road layout as day to day traffic is safely channelled through. This means that the `no right turns' rule and 50km/h speed limit are even more important.  For your safety and the safety of our crews please continue to drive carefully through the site.

Dougal Francis, Fulton Hogan Construction Manager (Operations), SH20B Early Improvements Project.

Introducing; Dougal Francis, Construction Manager (Operations)

Dougal has 30 plus years of experience in the civil/mining contracting field and spent the last five years working on the Waikato Expressway - Huntly Bypass Project.

He has responsibility for ensuring all aspects of the SH20B project are constructed safely and efficiently.

"The job involves working with the wider team to ensure appropriate planning and management systems so the project comes in on time and budget.

My challenges are the tight programme, problem solving, and the need to safely negotiate the critically important services/utilities while keeping busy sections of SH20B flowing." he says.

"I enjoy the opportunity to work with this talented group of professionals, each with unique sets of skills, and to keep learning from the whole team as we face the daily challenges this project presents.”

Contact us

Please call us at 0800 796 796 or email sh20B@nzta.govt.nz if you have any questions about the SH20B Early Improvements project.

Project overview

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and Auckland International Airport Limited are upgrading State Highway 20B for better and more reliable travel options with a new shared path and additional priority lanes between Pukaki Creek Bridge and State Highway 20.

This project will integrate with improved transport facilities within the airport precinct along SH20B and at the upgraded Puhinui Station Interchange.

The project is the first step of the Southwest Gateway programme to provide better public transport, walking and cycling facilities with safer and more efficient freight movements to, from and around Southwest Auckland.

Fulton Hogan undertakes this work on behalf of Waka Kotahi.

Key early improvements on State Highway 20B to be delivered by 2021 include:

• A safe place for people to walk and ride bikes
• Safety improvements including central median barrier protection, improved lighting and a reduced speed
• Improved pavement, drainage and stormwater treatment
• Two improved intersections at Campana Road and Manukau Memorial Gardens.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency works to create transport solutions for all New Zealanders – from helping new drivers earn their licences, to leading safety campaigns to investing in public transport, state highways and local roads.

For more information on the project, you can also visit our website at www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/southwest-gateway/20connect/