Getting to Riccarton House/ Bistro and the Christchurch Farmers’ Market …use side streets, follow signs

Whenever SCIRT sets up a road closure or closes a traffic lane where businesses are operating, there will be some flow-on effect.

In some cases the lack of any space to park just means that people don’t stop as much. In other cases, a major road intersection closure means that people need to work out a different route and watch for orange detour route signs.

This is the case in the heart of Riccarton for Riccarton House on Kahu Road, which houses the recently-reopened Riccarton Bistro restaurant, tours and in the grounds, the Saturday Christchurch Farmers Market and Sunday Artisan Market. For safety reasons for residents, school pupils and road users, it was important to avoid cars three-point-turning close to the bridge, so the eastern road closure had to be at Straven Road.

But the businesses are all still open and accessible via Titoki Street, off Riccarton Road (via Kauri/ Rimu) or Rata St, off Straven Road. On the other side, Totara, Puriri, Hinau, Konini provide access to Kahu Road at the university end of Kahu Road.

Signs going up

To ensure people know that Riccarton House and the weekend markets are still open, with car-parking on site, SCIRT installed additional signs at the Kilmarnock/ Straven intersection directing people south towards Rata St. From Rata St north and south sides of the road, signs direct drivers towards Rimu St intersection, then Titoki St/ Kahu Road, the area behind the road closure near the bridge.

“It is important to encourage people to keep up their regular habits so businesses continue to thrive in the city while we fix damaged infrastructure,” said SCIRT general manager Duncan Gibb. “If everyone makes a small extra effort, we are all contributing to the rebuild.”

Cyclists have a direct route from Hagley Park

The route is now particularly suitable for cyclists and pedestrians with fewer cars on Kahu Road while the bridge is repaired. There is a wide cycleway from the railway line at Matai St West, almost directly to Riccarton House.

Double-shifting, six days a week

The brick bridge repair is scheduled to be completed mid-November, with eight weeks of double shifting crews, six days a week to minimise the time. SCIRT thanks everyone making the extra effort to keep supporting their local businesses while infrastructure repairs continue.

Currently SCIRT’s McConnell Dowell team has set up dewatering equipment under the bridge with a decanting tank on the Christchurch Boys High/ upstream side of the bridge. A dam is needed to create a dry, safe work area under the bridge for the stonemasons to repair the broken bricks that form the bridge’s arch and restore strength to the structure. The broken brick borders on top of the bridge will also be restored one side at a time. Containers at either side of the bridge prevent any access over the bridge, for the sake of those working underneath the damaged structure.

ends

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