Bay Link construction site temporarily shutting down

25 MARCH 2020: In line with the Government’s direction in response to COVID-19, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and the contractors and suppliers working on our behalf are stopping work on all capital projects effective from 23:59 hours on Wednesday 25 March 2020.

Our priority at this time is to ensure that while we close down the site, it remains a safe place for you to travel through or near. We will keep safe traffic management in place, as well as appropriate environmental controls.

Throughout the closure you can be assured that we will continue to monitor the site and that safety remains our top priority.

Many of the project team will be working from home on further planning and design works. The stop work also means the traffic escorts at the SH2 Maunganui Road temporary signalised crossing are no longer in place.

The project’s helpline – 0508 222 4636 – remains operational if you need to make us aware of any issues on the site.

You may have questions about what this closure will mean for the project's completion date. We are still working to establish this information, and we will keep you updated on this.

Waka Kotahi remains committed to keeping New Zealanders moving and we will resume work as soon as we can. Please take care travelling through the site and keep to the posted speed limit. Be safe. Be kind.

The project’s first major concrete pour underway.

First major concrete pour for Bay Link project

A major milestone was reached last month with the first concrete pour at the Baypark end of the project. The focus in this area has shifted from below-ground improvements to above-ground construction.

Concrete has been poured for one of the two rail impact walls. These are designed to protect the walls supporting the new road over the railway from collapsing if they were ever hit by trains. The first structural wall used 300m3 of concrete – 60 truck loads.

Other retaining walls are also taking shape in the area, forming the sides of the embankments. Two techniques are being used to build the 18 Mechanically Stabilised Earth (MSE) walls; sandbags with reinforced high-density plastic grid, and concrete blocks with steel reinforcing ladders.

A wall made up of a grid of sandbags is emerging and can be seen as you approach Te Maunga roundabout from Papamoa. About 500 sandbags can be filled and stacked each day, covering around 33m2 of the wall face.

Reinforced high-density plastic grid is then used to hold the bags in place and strengthen the structure as it progresses. Once completed, approximately 22,000 sandbags will have been used to complete the 1320m2 wall.

Construction of a 10m high retaining wall is underway near the intersection of SH2 and SH29A. About 21,000 concrete blocks, sourced from a Morrinsville
manufacturer, have arrived on site.

Workers have been busy removing 4500m3 of earth (totalling about 225 truck movements), leaving behind a deep excavation where this new retaining wall will be constructed before an embankment made of pumice is built on top.

The concrete block wall construction will involve stacking the blocks on top of each other and using 11,600 high grade steel reinforcing ladders laid horizontally behind the wall.

The stone column ground improvement beside the Te Maunga roundabout is nearing completion, with 4100 stone columns installed in the area to date.

Investigation into an underpass solution continues

The Transport Agency continues to investigate an underpass solution as part of the overall Bay Link project. The detailed analysis has taken longer than anticipated due to some complex issues and risks that need to be resolved.

The intention is to have a decision made in the coming weeks and be able to communicate this more widely with the community.

If an underpass solution is able to proceed, the old underpass would still need to close for a period of time to facilitate the new underpass construction.

Bay Link through the lens

Last month the Bayfair roundabout grew significantly in size, making way for a work zone in the middle. Crews have started diverting an existing stormwater pipe that runs underneath the roundabout to make way for upcoming ground improvements.

Earthworks are underway in the area between SH2 and SH29A. Here trucks are bringing in fill to raise the level of the embankment, one of several in this area which will form the new intersection of the state highways.

The Bayfair roundabout has been made bigger to make room for the drainage works that are underway in the centre. The increased size is representative of how big the final Bayfair roundabout will be.

Aerial view of SH2 Maunganui Road towards Te Maunga and Baypark. The work zone in the centre is where the approach ramp to the Bayfair flyover will be built.

The temporary signalised crossing, in combination with the new larger Bayfair roundabout layout, is working well since it became operational in February. The safety escorts are no longer in place, due to the Government direction on COVID-19.

Construction of one of the two rail impact walls is underway.

More information

For more information on the Baypark to Bayfair Link upgrade project, contact us baylink@nzta.govt.nz

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