Hamilton road works: Cobham Drive-Cambridge Road intersection on the home stretch

With the final surfacing, the team will be needing to adjust traffic management layouts. Photo / Waka Kotahi

Further traffic changes are coming up for the State Highway 1C Cobham Drive/Cambridge Road intersection improvements in Hamilton, as the project enters its final stages.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency says this means a number of major milestones are close to completion, including the water and wastewater mains work undertaken by Hamilton City Council within the State Highway section of the site.

The electrical work was also nearly complete, including the undergrounding of the power cables and removing the old overhead lines and installing the traffic loops and signal box which will control the traffic lights at the intersection of Cobham Drive and Cambridge Road.

During August the project team has been working to complete the reconstruction and resurfacing of the road. The new traffic islands and all the footpaths and vehicle crossings will be built.

With the asphalt work and final surfacing, the team will be needing to adjust traffic management layouts, and at times drop lanes and moving live lanes around the intersection. At all times, they will be focusing on minimising disruption and completing the work as efficiently as possible.

Waka Kotahi says the old roundabout was no longer fit for purpose. Photo / Waka Kotahi

Weather permitting, from Monday, August 21, the left turn from SH1C Cobham Drive (southbound) into local Cambridge Road will be closed for up to two weeks. This is to allow installation of the new traffic islands, final surfacing and line marking, and for Hamilton City Council to complete their final water-main upgrade work.

Once the left turn into Cambridge Road is re-opened, the project team will move on to the final finishing stage including installing traffic signals, gantry signage and other work to reinstate the road.

Lastly, the team will add the finishing touches such as road marking and landscaping before the traffic management is removed.

When completed the upgraded intersection will not only significantly improve safety through this residential area, which has many people walking and cycling through the neighbourhood, but will also help future-proof this busy commuter route.

For more information see the Waka Kotahi website.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency says it appreciates the project has resulted in disruption to local residents and businesses and thanks them for their continuing patience.

The agency says traffic volumes will increase on this route as the population of Hamilton continues to grow – more so with the nearby development of Peacocke, which is one of Hamilton’s largest greenfield development areas.

Based on current growth projections from Hamilton City Council there are likely to be around 3750 homes in the Peacocke development area within the next 10 years. Within the next 30 years, Peacocke is expected to have more than 8000 houses and be home to around 20,000 people.

Project benefits

• Removing the old roundabout

• Installing traffic signals and a raised intersection platform

• Removing the zebra crossing on local Cambridge Road

• Installing two signal-controlled pedestrian crossings

• Undergrounding the powerlines crossing SH1C (Cambridge Road)

• Widening in places and resealing the footpath

• Installing new signage.