Major northbound changes continue

Transit New Zealand advises all motorists that due to bad weather last night (Sunday 17 August), work will continue tonight on the Southern Motorway between the Gillies Ave on-ramp and the Khyber Pass off-ramp.

The following closures will be in place from 9pm tonight (Monday 18 August) until 6am tomorrow morning (Tuesday 19 August):

The Gillies Ave on-ramp (northbound) and the Khyber Pass off-ramp (northbound) will both be closed.

There will be northbound lane closures between Gillies Ave on-ramp and Khyber Pass off-ramp northbound. There will be at least one lane open to traffic at all times. Closures are to allow lanes to be realigned, moving all four lanes east.

When all northbound lanes re-open tomorrow morning (Tuesday 19 August), a ‘bull run’ will be in place in the ‘fast’ lane from just south of the Gillies Ave on-ramp to just north of the Khyber Pass off-ramp. The fast lane will be open to all traffic but, in addition to the new median barrier on the right hand side of the lane, there will be marker posts and barriers along the left hand side of the lane.

The ‘bull run’ will mean that traffic entering the motorway at the Gillies Ave on-ramp will not be able to merge into the fast lane until just north of the Khyber Pass off-ramp. Traffic already in the fast lane to exit the motorway via the Khyber Pass off-ramp, and the first accessible exit will be the Symonds/Wellesley Street off-ramp.

(a graphic showing these changes accompanies this bulletin)

Motorists are advised to take care throughout the area, and be wary of changes to lane markings. There may also be delays as motorists slow down to adjust to the changes.

These closures and subsequent changes are weather permitting, and in the event of bad weather, work will be postponed until the next clear night.

A number of other closures of on and off-ramps, motorway lanes, and local streets are also in place throughout this area, and motorists should be aware of the following changes:

The northbound shoulder between the Gillies Ave on-ramp and Khyber Pass off-ramp is closed until early 2004.

The right hand southbound shoulder between the Upper Queen St and Symonds St overbridges is closed until the end of 2004.

The Wellesley St and Port off-ramp left hand shoulder is closed until the end of the year.

SH16 to Port connection is reduced to one lane until January 2005.

SH16 from Port connection is reduced to one lane until January 2005.

There will be ongoing north and southbound lane closures at night on the Southern Motorway between the Gillies Ave on and off-ramps and the Symonds Street over-bridge until 2005.
The Khyber Pass on-ramp (southbound) will be closed regularly at night until 2004, and will be closed every Sunday during August from 7am until 6am the following morning.

Sections of Khyber Pass Road and Boston Road will be closed at night (9pm to 6am) until mid 2004.

Temporary barriers and cones are located in all areas, and motorists at advised that there may be delays.

All work is part of Stage 1 of Transit’s Central Motorway Junction upgrade project, which covers the section of motorway between the Upper Queen Street over bridge and Gillies Ave on and off-ramps, and is scheduled for completion in 2005.

More information about the project can be obtained from the public information centre at the corner of Stanley Street and Alten Road, Grafton (open 8.30am – 5.30pm, Mondays – Fridays), by phoning the project office on 0800 ToFreeflow (0800 863 733) or by visiting the Transit website: www.transit.govt.nz .

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