Express CONNECT

31 March 2023

The traffic lights by the new underpass will provide cyclists, pedestrians and equestrians with a safe crossing. They’ll be activated during the first week of April before the shared path opens to allow time for traffic to get used to them being ‘live’. These works have required detours for traffic using that part of old State Highway 1. A big thanks to you for your patience while the works have been carried out.

Recently I nominated the project team for an internal Fletcher Excellence award. As I was putting the submission together, I reflected on the opening of the expressway to traffic before Christmas. It’s hard to believe that after years of work, it was so tight – down to the last hours – to make it happen. Being so busy, we really didn’t take the time to acknowledge the achievement either, being the final workday before Christmas with everyone keen to do the usual last minute Christmas shopping and get home to family. It’s not something I or any of the team will forget and we should find out at the end of April if we were successful in winning the award or not.

For further information on the project please visit our information centre (which has updated photos and brochures), check out our website www.nzta.govt.nz/pp2o, call us on 0800 PP2O INFO or email pp2o@nzta.govt.nz

Ngā mihi
Steve Findlay, Project Director

Shared path's safe crossing active next month

The construction of the safe signalised crossing for pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians near Makahuri (formerly known as Marycrest) continues to progress well. However, recent and unexpected poor weather has meant the closure of that part of SH1 and accompanying detour - to allow the works to be carried out - will remain in place until 6 April.

The traffic lights will be activated at Easter giving traffic using old SH1 time to get used to the lights before the shared path opens and is in use.

When the shared path is open, the crossing lights will not hold up traffic unnecessarily if pedestrians/cyclists cross over before they’re given a green light. This is because sensors will cancel activation of the crossing lights if no pedestrians or cyclists are waiting.

Equestrian lights will be installed at the crossing at two heights to enable riders to cross over without dismounting.

Thanks to the community for being patient while the detour has been in place to enable these works to be carried out.

Upcoming construction milestones: North of Ōtaki River

• Reshaping of land east of Taylors Road/the expressway and construction of permanent accesses to residential properties is almost complete, as is reconstruction of the Taylors Road/expressway intersection.
• Construction of a pathway and carpark to complete the Pare-o-Matangi reserve are progressing well with expected completion by the end of April.

South of Ōtaki River

• Ōtaki Gorge Road asphalting works south of the old SH1 bridge over Ōtaki River are underway and expected to be completed by mid-April. Works to finish safety barriers in the area will continue to the end of April.
• Works to reconstruct the section of old SH1 north of Makahuri (formally known as Marycrest) is expected to be completed before Easter, weather dependent. This includes a new safe crossing (controlled by traffic lights) for users of the shared path in that area. A detour via Te Horo Beach Road and Te Hapua Road is in place while the works are carried out.

Community meeting

Our next meeting is scheduled as follows:

• Community Liaison Group – 7pm, Monday 17 April, Ōtaki College (members only).

Information Centre remains open through to 2024

The information centre is located at 216 Main Highway, Ōtaki (open 9-5pm Monday-Friday, Saturday 9am-4pm and Sunday 10am-4pm). 

The centre has brochures, which include a map of the whole expressway, for taking away. The map can also be viewed/downloaded as a larger image here: PP2Ō Expressway map.

PP2Ō Expressway staff – monthly share meeting

Every month we have a meeting to share information with project staff and support health and safety education. This month the focus was on fatigue and how to reduce its impacts.

Fatigue reduces alertness which may lead to errors in the workplace and increase the risk of incidents and injuries particularly when operating machines, carrying out repetitive tasks and/or doing night/shift work which our team do regularly.

Rest and relaxation are vital to refresh our minds and bodies. It’s also important to have things to look forward to outside of work – seeing family and friends, as well as participating in sports and other hobbies. We encourage our teams to speak up if they feel fatigued and get support from their managers and supervisors.

Other projects along the corridor

We thought it would be useful to update you on what other things are happening along the Peka Peka to Ōtaki corridor.

PP2Ō revocation works
These works will ensure old SH1 is fit-for-purpose as a local road before responsibility for it is transferred to Kāpiti Coast District Council.

• We've been carrying out geotechnical ground investigations, along with road surface and site utility surveys along parts of old SH1. These determine the condition of existing underground assets like culverts and pipes, location of underground services, depth of the existing road layers and ground strength. 
• Findings from these investigations and surveys will be used to finalise detailed designs for road/safety improvements along the corridor.
• An invitation to tender for the physical works will be released later this year, with contractor selection taking place in late 2023 or early 2024.
• Physical works are likely to commence in the first quarter of 2024 and are expected to take about two years to complete.

If you’d like to receive updates about these revocation works during the project, sign up on our Peka Peka to Ōtaki corridor improvements webpage.

Wellington Transport Alliance works
Waka Kotahi, Fulton Hogan and WSP make up the Alliance and are responsible for the maintenance and operations of the region’s state highways.

• The SH1 Ōtaki to Ohau road safety improvements project is underway north of the expressway. A vehicle turnaround – one of three to be built between Ōtaki and Manakau – is under construction in the rest area at the bottom of Forest Lakes hill with this work expected to be completed in late April. Travellers can still use the rest area, but road users will see altered lane layouts in the vicinity.
• The turnaround will provide a safe place to turn right across the highway once median barriers are installed as part of the safety project.

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