By Jazlyn Whales of RNZ
Main roads in and out of the capital will be cut off this week and next because of several maintenance-related road closures.
Wellington road users will need to start “planning ahead”, and take back roads, says the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).
The State Highway 1’s southbound lanes were closed for two nights – Sunday, February 2 and Monday, February 3, between 9pm and 4.30am.
Wellington Transport Alliance manager Roxanne Hilliard said the middle lane of the highway needed resurfacing.
Detours were available – light vehicles were advised to take the Johnsonville southbound offramp and detour to the city via Johnsonville, Khandallah, and the Ngaio Gorge.
Those travelling to the Hutt from SH1 were advised to take the SH58 detour via Transmission Gully, but this was not suitable for heavy vehicles because of a height restriction on the Johnsonville underpass.
Heavy vehicles were advised to use SH58 to Haywards Hill and then State Highway 2 to get to the city.
“These detours are longer, so drivers should allow for extra travel time,” Hilliard said.
Wellington’s urban motorway will be closed to northbound traffic overnight between Karo Drive and Ngauranga Interchange for road resurfacing, for the five nights between Sunday, February 9 and Thursday, February 13.
All northbound on and off-ramps will also be closed.
Drivers should detour along Willis St, Customhouse/Waterloo/Aotea Quay and then Hutt Rd.
In the city, the motorway will be closed to southbound traffic between the Terrace off-ramp and Vivian St as the Terrace tunnel undergoes its annual building warrant of fitness.
The detour is via the Terrace off-ramp and Ghuznee/Victoria/Vivian Sts.
Hilliard said, “Over 30,000 vehicles use this section of State Highway 1 daily, so it’s crucial that it’s regularly maintained.
“Crews will resurface around five lane kilometres of the northbound lanes between Aotea Quay onramp and the Ngauranga Interchange,” she said.
“Since December, around 2.5 lane kilometres of this section of highway has already been resurfaced and we still need to resurface a further 2.5 lane kilometres this season.
“These resurfacing works will make this stretch of road much smoother and safer as it is currently in poor condition.”
- RNZ
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