Contractors working to replace the St George St rail overbridge in Papatoetoe are making good progress, and will fully reopen the bridge five days earlier than planned.

One lane of traffic at a time has been closed across the St George St bridge since late September, as preliminary works were completed ahead of the critical Christmas and New Year construction period.

All four lanes across the bridge will reopen to traffic on Sunday December 5, ahead of the targeted date of Friday December 10. It will remain open until Boxing Day, when it will close completely until January 16.

The full closure will allow the bridge to be demolished and rebuilt, with a slimmer deck structure allowing room for the overhead wires which will be installed as part of the electrification of the Auckland rail network.

Bridge St remains closed until late January as preliminary works and the main construction are carried out.

“We know the lane closures on St George St have disrupted traffic in the area and we’re very appreciative of the patience local residents and motorists have shown while the work has been carried out,” said KiwiRail’s Auckland Electrification project director Murray Hood.

“The complete closure at Christmas will allow us to meet our targets for bridge clearance works across the Southern Line as we head into 2011.”

KiwiRail has a deadline of 2013 to deliver the infrastructure for electrification, which includes new signalling, bridge clearances and track lowering in some locations, and the installation of masts and overhead wires which will carry power to the new electric trains.

In Manurewa, good progress is also being made on three bridge clearances there. Jutland Rd was reopened to traffic on November 19 as contractors completed the replacement of the bridge.

Work is well underway on the replacement of the Browns Rd and Station Rd bridges, both of which will close on Boxing Day for an extended period. Browns Rd is due to reopen in early February and Station Rd at the end of January.

Jutland Rd will be available as the main traffic detour, via Russell Rd and Jellicoe Rd.

Station Rd will also close for four days next week while piling works are completed for the new bridge abutments, avoiding an extended period of partial closures.

The road will be closed from 5am on Sunday December 5 until midnight on Wednesday December 8, and an alternative access to the Manurewa shopping centre remains open via Great South Rd and Station Rd East.

Clevedon Rd in Papakura will also close on December 26 through until mid-March while that bridge is also replaced.

ENDS

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