RiverLink

Community update

31 May 2022


 

Making our city more resilient, connected and vibrant

Welcome to our May issue of the Community Update for the latest news about the RiverLink project.

 

 

RiverLink drilling deep

We’re currently undertaking geotechnical investigations throughout the project area which involve drilling holes up to 40 metres into the ground and extracting core samples of the underlying soil and rock. 

“The samples provide critical information and will be used to help us understand the ground conditions beneath the surface to assist with design before we embark on any construction,” says Gray Renwick, Senior Project Manager, Infrastructure Delivery at Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.

“We’ll be completing these investigations across the whole project area but will be targeting locations where key project structures like the bridges, stopbanks and the retaining walls will be built."

The information gathered will be used to inform the detailed design of these structures, which will be completed as part of the next phase of the project. The ground investigations are scheduled to run from now until mid-August this year but our crew will only be at each location for about one week. 

During the investigations, the work area will be fenced off for safety reasons.

Watch our video to see the investigations taking place!

 

 

Environment Court hearing – decision in August

An Environment Court hearing on a number of resource consents for the RiverLink Project took place in late April. 

The Court heard from the project partners, regulatory authorities and some submitters – mainly representatives of walking and cycling groups who want to see further improvements for their modes of transport included in the RiverLink project.

Closing submissions and a final set of conditions for the proposed works were filed with the Court on Friday 20 May.  A court decision is expected in August 2022.

 

 

Affected properties given new dates to vacate

Property owners and tenants, who are in the RiverLink construction zone, were recently given new dates for when they need to vacate their properties. 

The dates vary, from between January 2023 to September 2025, depending on when construction will start in each area.  

Moving can understandably be unsettling and finding another place to live isn’t always easy.  We encourage people to think about their relocation plans sooner rather than later. 

People who are having difficulties finding a new property are being encouraged to contact their property manager. 122 properties have been purchased for the RiverLink project so far and 24 more are expected to be bought.

 

 

Major Hutt City Council infrastructure proposal clears another hurdle

Hutt City Council’s application to the Government’s Infrastructure Acceleration Fund (IAF) has progressed to the final negotiation stage, taking us a step closer to addressing major stormwater and wastewater infrastructure challenges in the city centre.

These infrastructure developments are crucial to the RiverLink project, as they are needed to enable further development of housing as part of the revitalisation of our CBD. 

"This application shows our intent to front up to the major infrastructure challenges in Lower Hutt. If successful, we'll be able to fund and build the infrastructure necessary to support thousands more homes in our CBD, as part of RiverLink, and on our valley floor," says Mayor Campbell Barry.

Both funding and housing outcome agreements will be negotiated before IAF funding can be confirmed. Following negotiations, final ministerial decisions will be made. 

Find out more about this announcement and the Infrastructure Acceleration Fund. 

 

 

Engagement pod in Andrews Ave

The RiverLink team have set up an engagement pod in Andrews Ave – pop in and find out how the project is progressing! 

We’re open lunch times (12-2pm) Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays (weather permitting).

 

 

Southend Business Group – join the chat!

Local business owners, operators and staff in Lower Hutt’s central city are invited to come and have a chat about RiverLink at the Southend Business Group gathering this week.

The meeting is being held tomorrow Wednesday 1 June from 6-7pm at Cutlers Gastropub, 180 High Street.

Come along with questions and/or concerns that you'd like to discuss!

 

 

Frequently asked questions

We've put together the following answers to some commonly asked questions.

 

 

RiverLink is a combination of three separate but interdependent projects, delivered as a single programme of works that will transform Lower Hutt.

It's a partnership between Hutt City Council, Greater Wellington, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko o te Ika and Ngāti Toa Rangatira to deliver flood protection, the revitalisation of Lower Hutt’s central city and Melling transport improvements.

 

 

More information

 
 

If someone has forwarded you this newsletter and you want to receive it yourself, please send your email address to riverlink@gw.govt.nz (note: we no longer mail the newsletter out).

More information on the RiverLink project is on our website (issues of all our Community Updates are also on this site in the News section).

Website: www.riverlink.co.nz

If you have a question, send our team an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can:

Email: riverlink@gw.govt.nz

 

Greater Wellington, Hutt City and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency proudly deliving the New Zealand Upgrade Programme