The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) advises that reduced lane widths on State Highway 1 at Takanini will be extended further south in the coming weeks, as part of work to improve motorway bottlenecks in the area.
The changes are part of the NZ Transport Agency’s Southern Corridor Improvements project which is creating extra motorway lanes.
The width of the northbound lanes is being reduced by 25cm between Pahurehure Inlet and the Takanini Interchange from Monday 18 April.
The same changes will come into effect on the southbound lanes through the same area from Wednesday 27 April.
Speed limit reduction
The speed limit will also be reduced to 80kmh. All changes will be in place for approximately a year to create a safe work zone while the extra lanes are built.
“These changes may cause some short-term disruption to motorists. We wish we could avoid that, but over time there will be benefits as we create extra lanes to ease bottlenecks,” says Brett Gliddon, NZTA's Highway Manager.
“Reducing pinch points on the highways will help us keep people and freight moving through this important route and provide more consistent journey times as well as improving safety for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.”
Safer, faster construction
The changes follow others earlier in the year in both directions between the Takanini Interchange and Alfriston Road, and means lanes will now narrow between Pahurehure Inlet to the Alfriston Road overbridge.
“By reducing the lanes, we can create safe areas for the construction crews to work throughout the day, not just at night and that means they’ll get the job done much faster with less disruption to residents and motorists overall.”
In order to prepare the new road markings, there will be a series of overnight motorway closures between the Papakura and Takanini Interchanges and traffic will be diverted via Great South Road.
Motorway closures
SH1 northbound from Papakura Interchange to Takanini Interchange will be closed each night from Sunday 17 April to Thursday 21 April. Vehicles will be redirected via Great South Road.
SH1 southbound between Takanini Interchange and the Papakura Interchange will be closed each night from Tuesday 26 April to Thursday 28 April.
Vehicles will be redirected via Great South Road. The work is weather dependent and will be delayed until the next suitable night if conditions aren’t suitable.
Narrowed lanes and 80kmh speed limit
SH1 northbound between Pahurehure Inlet and Alfriston Road overbridge from Monday 18 April for approximately 12 months.
SH1 southbound between Alfriston Road overbridge and Pahurehure Inlet from Wednesday 27 April for approximately 12 months.
The Takanini Southbound onramp will be reduced to one lane from Wednesday 27 April for approximately 12 months.
The $268 million project being delivered by the NZ Transport Agency on behalf of the Government is expected to be completed in 2018. It extends from Manukau to Papakura along State Highway 1 and will improve safety and journey reliability on Auckland’s Southern Motorway. Extra southbound lanes will be completed in early 2017 as part of the Western Ring route construction.
The Southern Corridor Improvements Project is the second of four government accelerated transport projects in the Auckland region which supports current investment in the Western Ring Route and the regional connections south of Auckland.
The Southern Corridor Improvements project includes:
- Southbound widening – to four lanes between SH20 and Hill Road and to three lanes between Hill Road and Papakura
- Northbound widening – to three lanes from Papakura to Takanini
- Takanini Interchange upgrade
- Upgrade of 16 existing bridges and construction of six new structures
- A new 4.5km walking and cycling path
- New LED lighting
