20 December 2005

Christchurch City Council lets $8.66m Blenheim Rd deviation tender

An $8.66 million tender has been let by the Christchurch City Council for construction of a bypass to connect the eastern end of Blenheim Road and Moorhouse Avenue around the south-east corner of Hagley Park.

The tender was approved at today’s (20 December) Council meeting. Five firms tendered for the contract, which has been awarded to Works Infrastructure. The project is due to be completed at the end of May 2007. The pre-tender estimate for the work was $8.6m.

The City Council decided to undertake the project in December 2000 and it received consents two years later. That designation drew several appeals, which were later withdrawn and a year ago the Environment Court confirmed the Council’s plans.

As well as removing a growing traffic bottleneck at the Blenheim Road-Deans Avenue roundabout and providing a more direct route for traffic to Moorhouse Avenue and the Central City, project manager Ross Herrett says the new road will create several other improvements for the city, including:

- Eventually allowing the creation of up to 250 car parks on the southern end of Deans Avenue for use by people visiting South Hagley Park

- Removing the likely need for a major safety upgrade of the existing narrow bridge over the railway line at the eastern end of Blenheim Road

- The expected substantial reduction in traffic along Deans Avenue between Moorhouse Avenue and Riccarton Road will further enhance the residential nature and safety of the areas bounding the park

- The park end of Blenheim Road is expected to become a much stronger cycling and pedestrian link

- The more direct route into the Central City’s south may also encourage some traffic away from Riccarton Road.

ENDS

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