Transmission Gully link road closed for ‘critical’ work after just two years

By Krystal Gibbens of RNZ

A link road on Wellington’s Transmission Gully is being ripped up - just two years after it was opened.

Porirua City Council, Wellington Electricity, Wellington Water and Kāinga Ora are partnering up to carry out the “critical infrastructure” service upgrades on the Waitangirua Link Rd and the adjoining Whitby link road, Te Ara Kāpehu.

The council said the work was to improve electricity network resilience and increase drinking water services for the fast-growing eastern suburbs.

Porirua City Council said the Waitangirua Link Rd would be closing from November 4.

The council said the road will be closed for up to five months while new drinking water pipes were laid, along with cabling for electricity network upgrades.

While the road was closed, the council would also remove wilding pine trees, clear vegetation and install signage for the increased speed limit on the road - which was being raised to 60km/h as part of the Speed Management Plan.

Photo / Porirua City Council

After the Waitangirua Link Rd reopened, work to lay pipes and cabling would begin on the adjoining Whitby link road, Te Ara Kāpehu.

The council said these works would take about two months and one lane was expected to remain open to traffic.

People on social media have ripped into the council over the roadworks - questioning why the infrastructure works were not done when the road was built.

The council said the scale and timing of a nearby residential development was not known at that time, and the new water reservoir - which the pipes will connect to - had not been planned.

Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.