Transmission Gully remains unfinished 15 months after opening

The $1.25 billion Transmission Gully project remains unfinished, despite the motorway out of Wellington opening more than 15 months ago.

Regional Transport Committee documents reveal progress continues to be slow, “with a considerable amount of work remaining to be completed.”

Waka Kotahi manager Mark McKenzie said outstanding work included the new State Highway 59 connection between Mackays Crossing and Paekākāriki as well as works at and adjacent to the Pāuatahanui interchange.

A recreational track along parts of the route needs completing, as well as maintenance access tracks, various off-road work, required quality assurance tests, and consenting tasks.

Transmission Gully has been built through a public-private partnership (PPP), the Wellington Gateway Partnership (WGP), with CPB Contractors and HEB Construction subcontracted to carry out the design and construction.

Road opening was down to the wire in March last year and was only made possible after Waka Kotahi agreed to defer some quality assurance tests until after the opening, and reduced the requirements for others.

McKenzie said Waka Kotahi was continuing to address the unfinished work with WGP under the PPP contract.

“This has no impact on the public’s ability to use the expressway,” he said.

Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern cut the ribbon during the Transmission Gully opening ceremony in March last year. Photo / Mark Mitchell

WGP chief executive John Humphrey said construction has advanced over the months since slow progress was first signalled to the Regional Transport Committee in November 2022 (although slow progress was again flagged to the committee in March this year).

But he said final completion has been slower than anticipated.

“We are advised by the road builder that there are a number of reasons for this. Their work programme relies substantially on local workforce and they have had to compete in a very competitive market for the necessary skills, resources and materials.”

Humphrey said it also took more time to complete works now Transmission Gully was open to traffic.

“The builder’s schedule has been careful to minimise traffic disruption which includes efforts to align the timing and location of their works with Waka Kotahi project works in the vicinity.”

St Joseph’s Church, part of St Theresa’s Parish, is located near the Pāuatahanui interchange where work is ongoing.

Grant Baker, who recently stood down as chairman of St Theresa’s Parish, said the church has been accessible throughout the construction phase and cleaned as arranged with the road’s project team.

“We have benefited from the fact that twice a year we’ve had a chemical clean of the outside of the church, both the roof and the outside walls, and at least once a year they’ve done a wet wipe of the inside of the church as well.

“The church is old, the front doors are not totally sealed like you’d have in a new house, so dust gets in.”

Baker said they have been in discussions with the project team about small improvements to parking as part of the final works.

“The delay has meant we’ve had a second chance to discuss with them what the layout in front of the church is going to look like and that’s been to our benefit.”

Wellington Tramway Museum is in a similar area and board member Aaron Jonassen said the only problem they have had is people getting a bit confused when they want to get back to Paekākāriki.

Transmission Gully has boosted visitor numbers to the museum by about 50 per cent including a bumper weekend when the road first opened, Jonassen said.

“We were scrambling for extra crew to run more trams because we were so inundated with people and it’s basically just been like that ever since.”

When Transmission Gully opened last year, PPP parties were still wrangling over the fallout of the 2021 Delta outbreak that sent the country into lockdown.

In an update to the Regional Transport Committee in June last year, Waka Kotahi said commercial negotiations over compensation for Covid-19 delays were continuing.

This week McKenzie referred to the situation as “ongoing discussions”

“Waka Kotahi is unable to comment on ongoing discussions with our project partners or provide a timeframe for their completion, as these discussions are commercially sensitive.”

Humphrey said WGP did not comment on commercial matters in progress.

Waka Kotahi has previously confirmed a claim was lodged, meaning the road could cost taxpayers more than $1.25 billion by the time it’s settled.

Georgina Campbell is a Wellington-based reporter who has a particular interest in local government, transport, and seismic issues. She joined the Herald in 2019 after working as a broadcast journalist.