Waterview Connection Starts

in Auckland Featured Motorways by Jon C — July 25, 2011 at 7:00 am | 4 comments

The closing of New Windsor’s Maioro Street marks the unofficial start of the Waterview Connection project now that it has passed its various regulatory hurdles and been given the green light.

And this morning is proving to be the first real test of how motorists cope with the complete closure of the Maioro Street section of the Southwestern Motorway (State Highway 20) for four weeks to substantially complete construction of a new interchange.

Maioro Street is a key link for drivers travelling between the Central/Western suburbs and Manukau and to Auckland International Airport.
If motorists get frustrated this morning, too bad.

The decision for a 4-week closure replaces the earlier plan to have a series of phased closures over a 10-12 week period which would have meant fewer delays but it would have taken longer.

The Maioro Street Interchange marks the southern entrance for the Waterview Connection project joining the Southwestern and Northwestern motorways. Waterview will be the country’s biggest roading project to date.
Maioro Street is closed between Sandringham Road and Richardson Road so the NZTA can construct the new Maioro Street and Richardson Road intersection, as well as complete the new south-facing motorway ramp and noise walls. During the second and final weekends of the four week period the NZTA will extend the closure further south along the Southwestern Motorway to the Dominion Road off ramp.

Walkers and cyclists, particularly those who access the Ernie Pinches Street footbridge from Maioro Street, will also be affected by the closure.For the next four weeks, they will have to access the footbridge from Richardson Road and Malcolm Street.
The pedestrian crossing on the southern section of the Richardson Road/Maioro Street intersection was removed to help manage traffic during the closure. All other foot and cycle access at the intersection remains in use.

Tags: Maioro Street SH20 Waterview connection