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Further work will be carried out on the new interim traffic lights on State Highway 22 at Drury before they are switched on.
In late April, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) decided to pause commissioning the lights at the Great South Road/SH22 intersection. The agency said it would review the configuration to ensure it is optimal for the forecasted increase in traffic volumes over the period it will be in service.
NZTA Regional Manager Transport Services, Stephen Collett, told the Franklin Times this week that the independent review of the configuration of the new interim traffic lights has now been completed.
“That review has recommended some additional improvements on SH22 prior to commissioning the new lights.”
“As the future closures of the southbound on-ramp and northbound off-ramp at Drury Interchange (that necessitate these traffic lights) are not imminent, NZTA has time in hand and is considering the additional time, benefits and cost of the recommended improvements.”
NZTA expects to provide a further update by the end of June.
Meanwhile, the southern access to Victoria Street remains closed, with lane narrowing in place on Great South Road ahead of the Drury on-ramp. Access to the Drury sports complex is via the northern end of Victoria Street from Bremner Road.
Once the traffic lights are completed and Victoria Street is reopened later this year, the demolition and ultimate replacement of the Bremner Road bridge over State Highway 1 can start.
The temporary steel truss bridge under construction on Bremner Road over Ngaakooroa Stream is progressing well, NZTA says.
It is planned to have traffic shifted onto it in the third quarter of this year, following which the existing bridge over the stream will be demolished and replaced with a higher bridge.
Further north at Slippery Creek/Otuuwairoa Stream, earthworks on the eastern side of the motorway are visible on both sides of the stream. Work was centred on clearing and establishing site access and undertaking the enabling works required to bring in large cranes. These cranes will be used to drive in ground improvement piles that will significantly strengthen the ground under the new alignment for the motorway and its new higher and wider bridge across the stream.
- Lane layout changes are expected to occur on State Highway 1 southbound between Drury and Ramarama from Thursday, June 5.
