Subscribe to RSSWiri Station Rd Opens
Wiri Station Road in Manukau opens tomorrow as it enters the final stage of construction, to complete the new SH20 -1 Manukau Extension motorway project.
Wiri Station Road has been closed in both directions between Lambie Drive and Davies Avenue near the Manukau City Centre, for seven weeks of intensive work to improve connections in the area.
“We’ve made good progress and made sure that our project team will be well out of the area so that people can access the Westfield Mall during the busy Christmas shopping period without being disrupted,” says the NZTA’s State Highways Manager for Auckland Tommy Parker.
Ramp signals have also been installed and will start operating from Monday 13 December on the SH20-1 southbound lanes of the new motorway, to improve traffic flows and driver safety at the merge of the Southwestern and Southern motorways [State Highways 1 and 20]..
At the western end of the motorway project, work is continuing to construct the third and final part - the connecting road between the Cavendish and Puhinui Interchanges. This involves completely demolishing the old Roscommon Road bridge, building a major sewer line and a new westbound on-ramp. The Puhinui Stream will also be diverted and hundreds of native fish will be relocated to the new section of the stream.
Mr Parker says the connecting road will provide a direct link to Auckland International Airport and will be open on Wednesday 5 January 2011 (weather permitting).
“Motorists will be able to travel on the new motorway without stopping, from the Southern Motorway all the way to Puhinui Road (SH20B) and the airport. This will reduce commuting times for the 12,000 workers who travel to the airport daily,” he says.
The $220M Manukau Extension motorway connects the Southwestern (SH20) and Southern Motorways (SH1) in Manukau. It is being opened progressively in three stages – with the final stage scheduled to open in January 2011. The motorway forms the southern gateway to the Western Ring Route. When completed, the ring route will provide a new 48 kilometre motorway around Auckland to ease pressure on SH1 and the Auckland Harbour Bridge.
Some minor road works will continue to intersections on Lambie Drive and Great South Road until Monday 10 January 2011.
4 Comments
it has certainly been a major project.
driving from manukau to dominion rd is certainly quicker
and more enjoyable
So they’re a little late with the Cavendish - Puhinui link - thought it looked like still a bit of work to do there.
Not sure about the “Motorists will be able to travel on the new motorway without stopping, from the Southern Motorway all the way to Puhinui Road (SH20B) and the airport” comment - from what I have seen on plans, you exit at Roscommon and have traffic lights there, before you enter the link road.
What is the most frustrating aspect of this transport project is that there has been no real improvements for pedestrians on Manukau/Wiri Station Road.
It is concerning that even with the SH20 extenstion which took a significant proportion of traffic off the arterial roads there has been no change to the speed limit (which is currently 60km through the town centre area), or an attempt at improving connections to both sides of the road.
Ok yes, there has been improvement with respect to footpath widening, but - realistically who would want to walk next to cars speeding past at 60km/h +, whilst navigating slip lanes and multiple pedestrian crossings with EXTREMELY long phasing… It’s not an appropriate pedestrian envrionment espeically when it is adjacent to the new Manukau Rail Station.
I for one am glad that Manukau City Council has been abolished - this must not be replicated.
Patrick - every motorway in the world is fast and enjoyable for a few very short years after construction…then it induces demand et voila… you have traffic jams….and then you have the Auckland disease which we’ve suffered since the first motorways were constructed.
We need a Govt who will commit to proper first world transport alternatives to reduce congestion and the resulting billions required to be spent on the motorway network.
Steven Joyce and the Nats are incapable of this modern, forward thinking on transport.
Time for a change I say!