Wellington Regional Office of Transit New Zealand

Safety improvements to MacKays Crossing on State Highway 1, 3 km north of Paekakariki, will take a step closer soon with consent and designations expected to be publicly notified on Wednesday 8th August Transit New Zealand announced today.

Project engineer Catherine Worsley is delighted consents have been notified after long investigation and preliminary design periods.

"This stretch of highway in the vicinity of the MacKays railway level crossing has been the scene of an unacceptably high number of crashes - 79 in the past five years, including one fatality, as well as significant delays due to the curves and the level crossing. We are committed to improving the safety and efficiency of the highway in this location and this is the next step in the process," she says.

"The plans include building an overbridge across the railway lines which will complement the four-laning improvements currently under construction along Raumati Straight. Just as importantly these improvements are consistent with the proposed Transmission Gully alignment."

The new highway overbridge will cross the railway approximately 300m north of the current level crossing. Access to QE Park and Whareroa will be provided via on and off-ramps from the state highway. This alignment avoids the significant wetlands within QE Park.

The surrounding environment was carefully considered in the road design and much consultation was undertaken with various parties including Wellington Regional Council Parks and the Department of Conservation. As a result an improved wetland scheme within QE Park has been developed to mitigate the loss of wetland south of the level crossing.

Catherine Worsley says the project will be completed in two stages. "Stage 1 is the immediate construction of the overbridge with links to north and south of the existing SH1. Easing of the curve to the south, adjacent to the market garden, will also be undertaken as part of Stage 1.

The second stage will be constructed as part of the Transmission Gully project."

- ENDS -

© Scoop Media