Project planning is progressing

Kia ora,

We hope you are keeping safe and well.

The project team is continuing to work through detailed design aspects for the Tinwald Corridor.  This includes working with KiwiRail to map out the changes to rail and geotechnical investigations. 

Like every business and organisation, Waka Kotahi is managing people and work around the challenges of Omicron/COVID-19. But inevitably, some people will become unwell and need time out to get better and care for whānau.

Fortunately, most detailed planning work can be done remotely, for example property and consenting meetings with stakeholders such as Ashburton District Council and business owners can be held on-line if needed. This work is progressing and is expected to take around six months.

Good questions keep coming

As our team works with the Tinwald community we regularly get questions about the project and why things are being designed a certain way. Here are some good ones:

Why are the traffic lights at Agnes St instead of Graham St?

A key reason for this project is making it easier for people to get across the highway, between west and east Tinwald residential areas. The Agnes St/Lagmhor Rd route is the safest and most direct connection between west and east Tinwald. Unfortunately, Graham St does not offer that same direct connection. The good news is the Graham St right turn bay will be upgraded and the new Agnes St/Lagmhor Rd signals will create more gaps in the traffic for people wanting to turn to and from Lake Hood. Also, it will be much easier for Tinwald people to visit local shops and businesses across the highway, instead of going all the way to Ashburton.

How does this project fit in with the second Ashburton Bridge?

The Ashburton second bridge is a separate longer-term project to provide alternative access from east Tinwald and Lake Hood to Ashburton and will link with Chalmers Ave, Walnut Ave and Moore St. This will eventually become a local 'ring route'. The second bridge is an Ashburton District Council project and there are still a number of project stages to work through.

The NZUP-funded work underway on SH1 at Walnut Ave supports the travel routes and connections to the second bridge. Even with a second bridge, the work we are planning for now in Tinwald will mean it is much easier for people to get around locally and for highway traffic and rail to pass through. It will also be much safer for people especially children and the elderly, wanting to walk and bicycle in Tinwald.

For more questions to frequently asked questions, visit our website or contact the team.

More information

For more information on the SH1 Tinwald Corridor Improvements project, contact us at tinwald@nzta.govt.nz

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