Transit Regional Office
Northland

17 November 2003

MEDIA RELEASE

Contract awarded for two more passing lanes on SH1 south of Whangarei.

Transit New Zealand has awarded a $1.35M contract for the construction of two new passing lanes south of Whangarei on State Highway 1 at Ruakaka to HEB Contractors Ltd. Both passing lanes, southbound at Flyger Road and northbound at Tauroa Stream are 1.6km long.

At the same time, the Tauroa Stream Bridge will be widened to accommodate the Tauroa Stream passing lane, which will extend from just north of Prescott Rd. The Flyger Road passing lane will extend from just south of Flyger Rd. Also included in the contract is the upgrading of two curves that separate the ends of the new passing lanes. Work will start before Christmas and is scheduled for completion by mid 2004.

Transit Regional Manager, Wayne McDonald, says the two passing lanes are part of a total of seven planned to address the lack of passing opportunities on SH1 between Mangapai and Waipu Gorge. “Three of these are now either complete or under construction, with the remaining two – at Uretiti Road and Brook Road - scheduled for construction next year,” he says.

Transit also plans to begin work before Christmas on two further passing lanes north of Whangarei, at Otanga North and Long Hill.

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