I’d like to extend my appreciation to our asphalt crew for their work laying hot asphalt during these summer months, with temperatures reaching over 30°C some days. If you take into consideration that the asphalt mix is at least 140°C when applied, the combination can be a scorcher! To minimise the effects of the heat on our crew, we’ve implemented a variety of initiatives to keep them cool and hydrated during the hot days, such as:
- providing large hats and long sleeves to protect them from the harsh sun
- hiring extra crew to ensure there’s enough people for everyone to have a good break
- having a safety talk about heat and dehydration at our meetings we have prior to shifts starting
- supplying gallons of water – some days we’ve even brought in ice blocks!
So far, around 80,000 tonnes of AC20 and AC14 asphalt have been laid on the Expressway. We expect to use a further 50,000 tonnes before we apply the final layer of asphalt - EMOGPA (Epoxy Modified Open Graded Porous Asphalt).
At the other end of the Expressway, north of Ōtaki, we’ve just finished earthworks in the Bridge 1 area (Waitohu Stream Bridge). The temporary SH1 road diversion in this area will stay in place to carry SH1 traffic until the Expressway opens, after which time it will be removed. Our team is also working hard to complete the remaining earthworks in the Ōtaki Gorge Road Bridge area and this will be followed by the last of our earthworks on Winiata Link Road. More about earthworks on the PP2Ō project are in the story below.
Great progress has also been made with streetlight and wire rope barrier installation. Once finished, the Expressway will be illuminated by 107 streetlights along the main alignment and approximately 33.4 km of wire rope barriers will be in place along the shoulders and median strip.
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
|