All hands-on deck as the paving crew completes the first layer of asphalt near the Matua Road intersection in mid-November. At Christmas 2024 we expect to have laid approximately 5,500 tonnes of asphalt across the project.

December 2024 – Project Update

Tena koe and welcome to our final construction update for 2024.

We’d like to acknowledge and thank the Huapai and Kumeū communities for their resilience and patience throughout the year as our project team has worked day and night to complete multiple complex construction tasks. Our team will down tools on December 20 and be back to work on January 6, 2025.

Earlier this month we were delighted to see our contractor, Fulton Hogan, provide Huapai District School with a safety-modified truck and trailer so the school could upsize their entry to the Kumeū Rotary Christmas Parade.  For all the highlights see the video at the end of this update. Spoiler alert: Huapai District School took out 1st prize for best float design!

We wish you a joyful, safe and restful Christmas holiday break.

Construction update; what’s news with the crews?

It's been a big push of productivity this spring.  Now that underground utility works on the northern side are substantially complete, we've been able to switch much of the day works to the southern side. A huge thank you to our neighbours for their understanding and patience as we complete this essential work.

We again want to thank the Rodney Local Board for their continued support.   And to our daily commuters – our crews and their families are so very grateful to you for continuing to make the site safer by keeping to the 60kph speed limit.

For more information on the project please see our webpage.  If you’d like to receive construction updates, please use our contact details below.

(L to R) Dawid, Sai, Eric, Shaneel, Clement and Usman of the Phase A/D team.

Phase A/D Team

Meet the Phase A/D Team, they’re responsible for planning and carrying out all the work from Factory Road to Matua Road.

Site Supervisor Dawid has been in the business for 24 years and joined Fulton Hogan 2 years ago when he and his family came to New Zealand from South Africa. He’s looking forward to 'doing a roadie' through Te Wai Pounamu - the South Island, with his family over Christmas.

Utilities Manager Sai has been doing her share of night works and is looking forward to some down time with family. Eric has been an Engineer for 12 years and is the team’s Construction Manager. A 'born Westie' Site Engineer Shaneel enjoys rugby, water polo, hiking and cooking.

Clement is a Project Engineer. He relaxes by going bouldering in his spare time and is off to Japan to ski for Christmas. Usman is a Graduate Engineer with 12 months experience and will be rotating to another project next year. He’s learned a lot about night works, permits, underground services and trenching!

New lighting, kerbs and drainage form the access to the new northbound turnaround bay opposite 641 SH16 and new electrical boxes (along with numerous power poles) are the only hint to the many hundreds of hours of complex work installing secure channels for high and low voltage electrical services.

Here's what we have achieved since the last update in September 2024;

Structures

• Kumeū 2 Bridge piling works, Berry Bridge stitching and barrier kerbs.
• Joyce Adams Place culvert design.

Services

• Underground ducting for 33KV, 11KV and LV (household) power supplies and associated electrical cut over.
• Private property power diversions onto the new power network.
• New streetlights on the northern side of SH16.

Factory Road to Trigg Road

Drainage

• All new stormwater drainage has been installed on the northern side of SH16.

Earthworks

• Re-topsoiling, grassing and mulching is 90% complete on the northern side of SH16. Planting will take place in the winter months of 2025.

Pavement (road surface)

• Excavation and construction of the lower layers of the SH16 pavement widening are now 90% complete on the northern side.
• Over 1000m of new kerb & channel has been laid.

Traffic Assets

• Construction of new road safety barriers has begun and will continue until early January 2025.

Looking ahead – what’s the focus for the next quarter; January – March 2025

By mid-January 2025, we expect to have completed transitioning traffic to the southern side of the state highway between Factory Road and Foster Road. This will allow us to focus work on the southern side of SH16.

Works are scheduled for late January 2025 at the end of Foster Road adjacent to the Foster Road/SH16 intersection.  An intersection closure is required for approximately 6 weeks so extensive drainage and turnaround bay works can be completed.

We’ll be progressing widening work at Berry Bridge and our team will continue with both day and night works across the 3.2 km site.

Structures

• Hydro demolition of the existing Berry Bridge deck to allow construction of the concrete stitch between the new and old bridge structure.
• Construction of the Kumeū 2 Bridge abutment beams, wingwalls and precast beams.
• Retaining wall 02 and Joyce Adams Place culvert construction.

Services

• Trenching for combined services trench installation to divert the Te Tai Tokerau Fibre Network, Chorus fibre and copper networks.
• Trenching for the diversion of approximately 450m of gas line at Joyce Adams culvert.

Factory Road to Trigg Road

Drainage

• New stormwater drainage will be installed.

Earthworks

• Works on the southern side of the road will begin ahead of constructing underground assets and pavements.

Pavement (road surface)

• Asphalt paving will continue between Factory Road and Matua Road.
• Pavement construction will continue at the new Foster Road turnaround bay
• Pavement widening works will begin on the southern side.
   

Huapai District School wins best float design at the Kumeū Rotary Christmas Parade

It was great to see our contractor, Fulton Hogan, get into the Christmas spirit with Huapai District School to enter their awesome float into the much loved Kumeū Rotary Christmas Parade.  Here’s a video created to celebrate the day.

Keeping safe

While the road is being upgraded there are 3 things to remember to keep you safe when travelling through our site:

• Please avoid walking or cycling through the site while the road is narrower during construction.
• Please don’t get distracted by moving machinery – especially the diggers/cranes working on the roadside.
• Please drive carefully and always keep to the 60 km/h speed limit.

Project information

We are keen to provide you with regular updates, so you always know what to expect.  These can be via e-text direct to your phone or email to your inbox and can be stopped at any time.

Please contact Nettie Bird, Fulton Hogan Communications and Engagement Manager by emailing nettie.bird@fultonhogan.com or phoning 0800 287 667.

If you would like to see more construction photos or get more information on the SH16 Brigham Creek to Waimauku project, please visit nzta.govt.nz/projects/sh16-brigham-creek-and-waimauku or email us sh16safetyimprove@nzta.govt.nz