Follow Mairtown/Kensington detours to avoid delays

Road users are urged to follow detour signs in the Mairtown and Kensington areas to avoid queuing during major roadworks this year.

Between late February and May, Nixon Street will be closed to through traffic. Detours along Kamo Road, Mill Road, Parahaki and Mair Streets and Hatea Drive will send drivers along routes where they are more likely to have right of way at intersections, and less likely to have to sit in queues behind vehicles crossing traffic.

The work is one of the final stages of Council’s 20-year Transportation Strategy which included the Porowini Avenue extension, Kamo bypass and the Lower Hatea River Crossing.

Whangarei District Council Senior Asset Engineer, Greg Monteith, said a dramatic increase in traffic volumes at the Nixon Street intersections in recent years had caused queuing and accidents, and the volume of traffic on the road is expected to grow.

“This year’s work will increase the number of lanes and the length of lanes at the intersection of Mill Road and Nixon, enabling much more traffic to flow through smoothly, and making the area safer,” Mr Monteith said.

“Stage one, beginning in February and continuing through to May, will involve upgrading and relocating services (the pipes and cables and wiring that run alongside the road).

“Work will then stop for the winter months and the major pavement works on the road itself will kick off in October. The job is due to be completed in December this year.”

Mr Monteith said intersection layouts would change during the project.
Stage 2, which involves the Kensington Avenue and Kamo Road intersection and widening of Nixon Street, will be completed in 2016.

“We ask that motorists, pedestrians and residents are patient during this work and consider alternative routes when planning their journeys,” Mr Monteith said.
“They can be assured that the improvements to these intersections will be worth the temporary inconvenience.”

ends

© Scoop Media