The NZ Transport Agency says central Auckland’s busy Alten Road is closed while the next stage of the Grafton Gully cycleway is being completed.

Alten Road, which connects with Stanley Street (State Highway 16) in Grafton Gully and is a heavily used link to and from the motorways, the CBD and the Port for all drivers as well as walkers and cyclists, is scheduled to reopen for traffic early next month although the project itself will not be completed until March.

The Transport Agency’s safety upgrade includes an extra right hand turn from Alten Road onto State Highway 16 in Stanley Street, and a new signalised crossing on Alten Road itself for cyclists and walkers.

The crossing connects a 300 metre section of the new cycleway opened last June with the recently completed shared path for walkers and cyclists in Churchill Street.

“We know it’s an extremely busy intersection but this closure means we can get in to do the work as quickly and safely as possible so that everyone can benefit early,” says the Transport Agency’s Highways Manager Tommy Parker.

Mr Parker says the Transport Agency plans to have the entire 1.9 kilometre-long cycleway extension of the Northwestern Cycleway completed and open in September. Work is well underway on the extension at the top of Grafton Gully, and construction of the tunnel beneath Wellesley Street East will start when the Transport Agency obtains its necessary consents.

“The tunnel’s not as big as the one Alice is working on at Waterview, but this is exciting for all walkers and cyclists who will have an almost entirely off-road and safe commute between west Auckland and the heart of the city,” Mr Parker says.

Other improvements to the Northwestern Cycleway are currently underway on the Western Ring Route Projects along SH16 at the causeway and the Lincoln Road and Te Atatu Road interchanges, and improvement to the cycleway is part of the upgrade of the St Lukes interchange due to start shortly.

“The Northwestern Cycleway is one of the most popular in Auckland and these improvements will make it an even more favoured travel option for people,” Mr Parker says.

ENDS

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