Blackspot projects shelved

By WAYNE THOMPSON

Mayors of Waikato and Rodney Districts say they are disappointed by delays to removing two accident blackspots on State Highway 1.

Roading authority Transit New Zealand says it is postponing work on two major contracts - the Mercer-Long Swamp section of the Waikato Expressway, and the Orewa-to-Puhoi extension of the motorway north of Auckland.

In the past decade, 35 people have been killed in accidents on the Mercer-Long Swamp section.

Ten people have died in 549 crashes on the hilly section of highway between Orewa and Puhoi, which is to be cut out by the new motorway.

Transit chairman Alan Bickers said tenders received for the Mercer-Long Swamp contract were unacceptable because they were too expensive.

Talks were being held with contractors in an attempt to get the price down to an affordable level.

Transit was not abandoning the contract, he said, and he still hoped some work could be done in the coming construction season.

Work so far, including a new bridge, was part of a $10 million "enabling contract" which had revealed the difficulties and costs associated with the wider contract.

The bridge was built first because it allowed hauling of fill material for the expressway over the main trunk railway line and the Whangamarino River.

Estimated to have cost $45 million, Long Swamp is a significant part of a four-year project that covers 12km, provides four express lanes and includes six bridges.

The Mayor of Waikato, Angus Macdonald, said he was disappointed at the Mercer delay but some consolation was a prospect of work starting instead on the 10km Rangiriri-Ohinewai section of the expressway.

On the Albany-Puhoi motorway extension, Mr Bickers said Transit had also decided not to accept tenders for building the "eco viaduct", which was one of the four contracts in the 6.5km extension from Orewa.

Mr Bickers said tenders had closed for the $10 million viaduct but a contract would not be given this coming construction season because of legal obstacles for the roading part of the $145 million extension.

"We are not dumping the project. But we do have pressure on funding and the authority would sooner put money into projects which can be used for traffic as soon as they are finished."

The viaduct was not a critical element in the project's time frame, he said, and Transit was now concentrating on solving the legal problems for the roadway.

After 28 months, Transit is still trying to get environmental consents and overcome appeals against compulsory taking of land for works.

Three appeals are outstanding. The Environment Court yesterday heard from parties to two of the appeals and adjourned for a progress report on resolution progress.

Rodney Mayor John Law said the stalled work reduced the chances of the Albany-to-Puhoi motorway project being completed within six years.

Mr Law said that if the section was not started within two years, motorists and Rodney residents would have to wait six to seven years for relief from a dangerous and heavily congested highway. "This has serious implications for growth in the district."

He said the Environment Court had imposed a deadline of December 2003 on using a temporary link through residential Orewa from the motorway's end to State Highway 1 north of Orewa.

Feature: Cutting the road toll

Are you part of the dying race?

Take an intersection safety test

LTSA: Road toll update

Massey University: Effectiveness of safety advertising