We were still able to celebrate some milestones before lockdown hit. This month, we celebrated the opening of the southbound lane of the temporary State Highway 1 (SH1) diversion at the northern end of the project, while our crews continue to work on the Expressway’s Northern Tie-In. We understand that this may cause disruption for residents in the area so will do everything we can to keep everyone updated and minimise any impact this may have on your journeys.

The much-anticipated opening of the shared path between Te Hapua and Te Kowhai Roads, scheduled for the end of August, will now need to wait until the Level 4 lockdown is over. Rest assured, it will be finished as soon as we are allowed back on site. We appreciate the understanding of the community in these times.

Once finished, the new PP2Ō Expressway will provide a four-lane expressway of the highest standard from Peka Peka to Ōtaki, making it easier to move people and freight between Wellington and the North. It will be a fantastic asset for residents and visitors driving through the Kāpiti Coast, and we can’t wait for you to be able to experience it.

If you need any further information, please visit 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

Return to work under Alert Level 3

As the Wellington region moves to Alert Level 3 at 11:59pm on Tuesday, 31 August, our construction workers will be allowed to work on site again from Wednesday. We anticipate that it will be a staggered start back with higher priority activities commencing first, and it will take some time to implement the necessary precautions before transition to a full work force again.

We will ensure that our worksites remain safe at all times for our staff and the community, and appropriate traffic management measures will be in place if required.

As you’ll be aware, there are still very strict restrictions at Level 3, and we would like to take this opportunity to reassure the community that we will be following strict protocols outlined in the Project COVID-19 Level 3 Risk Management Plan to ensure the safety of our people and the community. This includes a COVID-19 Response Plan for any suspected COVID-19 cases in our workforce. We’ll have compulsory ‘track and trace’ procedures employed on site, and visitors will be restricted to essential workers ONLY.

We kindly ask for the help of the community to keep our staff and others safe during works at Level 3. To ensure social distancing, please do not approach our workers unless it is an emergency. Any questions or concerns can be directed to our hotline number or email below as our administrative support will continue to work remotely.

The new SH1 diversion at the northern end of the project.

SH1 north of Ōtaki – new road layout

In early August the PP2Ō project team successfully moved southbound traffic onto a temporary section of road just north of Ōtaki. Please take extra care while everyone gets used to the new road layout and keep to the temporary speed limits in the area – this will help the new surface to embed properly.

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Construction on the Makahuri Rail Overpass is well underway.

Getting to know our bridges

Works are progressing well on the Makahuri Rail Overpass, or Bridge 9 as some of you may know it. Just before lockdown was announced, we were preparing the deck and western backwall to be ready to pour 180m3 of concrete. This included tying steel reinforcement and placing formwork.

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The artwork on both sides of bridge 2 represents Te Taiao – the natural world.

Ngā wai o Ōtaki

Bridge 2 is located at the northern end of Ōtaki, just prior to the roundabout by BP and adjacent to Pare-o-Matangi Reserve. The artwork on both sides of the bridge captures Te Taiao, the natural world. On the eastern side sits Te Manuao, the world of birds, and on the western side, Ngā wai o Ōtaki (the waters of Ōtaki).

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Wetlands are a critical part of the project.

Wetlands at PP2Ō

Why are wetlands so important for the environment? Wetlands slow down floodwaters by acting like giant shallow pans. Water flowing into these pans loses speed and spreads out, reducing the impacts of flooding as the wetlands absorb the heavy rain and then releasing the water gradually.

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Te Horo overbridge offers a fantastic view of the expressway.

Upcoming construction milestones

Subject to changing alert levels

With the southbound SH1 traffic switch in place, excavation and pavement works will be carried out within the barriered central area at the northern tie-in. Stabilised subbase works will continue up towards Bridge 1 (Waitohu Bridge) area.

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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