"We have done it twice now; building each side of the roundabout off to the sides of the road then, towards the end, moving the traffic on to the newly formed outer roads while the centre of the roundabout is completed."
Reports from on-site showed drivers appreciated the system as well.
"Traffic is flowing smoothly and the road works-related speed limits are being adhered to."
Along the new road, the two bottom layers, engineered fill and gravel, have been laid.
Work on the next layer of crushed gravel has started, after which there will only be the seal coat to go.
"That means we now have a driveable road surface from one end to the other. Even if we get wet weather we will be able to continue with that third layer and the timing will be right to lay the seal in spring, as the weather warms up."
The Pakowhai roundabout will have a standard four-leg layout, with one of those legs being the access to Pakowhai Regional Park, a very popular dog-walking area.
"It will be very much safer than it traditionally has been, with a new two-lane access that leads to and from the roundabout."
Work to bring a left-turning slip-lane down from Farndon Rd to the new roundabout is also progressing. Once the project is completed, there will be no right turn out of Farndon Rd towards Napier.
"These are all very important safety measures that we are very pleased to be able to incorporate into the Whakatu Link project."
Work on the 3.5km route, linking State Highway 2 at Mangateretere with Pakowhai Rd, through the Whakatu industrial area, started in January 2017.
