Transit Regional Office
Auckland

21 November 2003
Media Release

Firing up more major Transit projects in Auckland

Construction begins today on two of Auckland's most significant motorway projects: the $140 million Central Motorway Junction Stage 2 (CMJ Stage 2), and the $95 million Greenhithe section of the Upper Harbour Corridor, part of the Western Ring Route. Special ceremonies marked the start of construction on both projects.

CMJ Stage 2

Associate Minister of Transport and Minister with Responsibility for Auckland Issues, Hon Judith Tizard joined Auckland Mayor John Banks and Transit Board member Mike Williams and Transit Auckland manager Wayne McDonald in turning the first sod on CMJ Stage 2.

Wayne McDonald said the second stage of CMJ is expected to be finished by April 2006 while the first stage of CMJ, currently underway, is expected to be completed in just over a year.

"In this second stage of the CMJ project we'll see the upgrading of the existing motorway junction of SH1 and SH16. We'll see improved capacity on the motorways, and the links completed between the Northern and the Northwestern motorways and the Northern Motorway and the port via Grafton Gully. We'll see seven on-ramps, nine off-ramps and four 'motorway-to-motorway' connections. There will be more than 750 metres of new viaducts and bridges built. There will be 80,000 tonnes of asphalt laid on existing and new highways, and more than two kilometres of retaining walls constructed," he said.

It will be built by New Zealand and Australian contractors, Fletcher Construction and Leighton Contractors who have formed a grouping, Complete Joint Venture. They will be assisted by subcontractors including Hurlstone Ltd, Works Infrastructure, Higgins Contractors and consultants Beca Carter Hollings and Ferner Ltd.

Greenhithe Section

North Shore City Mayor George Wood joined the Hon Judith Tizard for celebrations on the North Shore, to officially mark the start of construction on the Greenhithe Section of the SH18 Upper Harbour Corridor project. This section stretches five kilometres from Paul Mathews Drive in Albany to the Greenhithe end of the Upper Harbour Bridge. The Greenhithe section of motorway is the second stage in the creation of the $250M Upper Harbour Corridor which will provide a 15km, four-lane motorway between North Shore and Waitakere cities. It will also extend the Northwestern Motorway (SH16) a further five kms from Westgate to Kumeu.

Mr McDonald said this part of the motorway would link the North Shore and Waitakere cities, reducing congestion and reliance on the Auckland Harbour Bridge.

Works Infrastructure has been awarded the contract for the project.

Mr McDonald said the project had special significance. "This represents a start on the northernmost section of the strategic Western Ring Route which will eventually join the Northern Motorway to the Northwestern Motorway, State Highway 20 and the Southern Motorway. In doing so it will provide an alternative route to State Highway 1, enabling road users to avoid the Auckland Harbour Bridge and the central city motorways. And, when this happens, we will see real relief for Auckland's traffic congestion," he said.

The CMJ Stage 2 and Greenhithe projects were part of a massive $400 million investment in motorway improvement activity, outlined in Transit's Auckland State Highway Strategy of December 2000 he said.

"These, and further planned motorway projects, are consistent with the strategy's objective to improve the region's motorway and public transport links," says Mr McDonald.

Besides the CMJ Stage 2 and SH18 Greenhithe projects, Transit construction work either underway or recently completed in Auckland also includes:

* Stage 1 of the upgrading of CMJ, a $55M project to widen the approaches to and from the junction along the Southern Motorway from Gillies Ave to Symonds Street, expected to be completed in just over a year.

. The recently completed Puhinui interchange on SH20, an important element in the strategic Western Ring Route. The $14.5M grade-separated, full diamond interchange replaced the Puhinui roundabout which had been one of the major causes of congestion in Manukau City and South Auckland.

. The construction of a $37M duplicate bridge across the upper harbour on SH18 started this year.

. The $67M Grafton Gully project, providing improved access from the CMJ to the port and improved access between the CBD and the hospital and Domain. This project will be completed next month, under budget and five months ahead of schedule.

ends

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