MEDIA RELEASE

29 January 2012

NZ Transport Agency – Auckland Regional Office

NZTA says work at Newmarket Viaduct remains on track

The NZ Transport Agency says four key areas of work are now underway to get the new northbound Newmarket Viaduct on Auckland's Southern Motorway (State Highway 1) ready to open for traffic.

Teams of workers are installing safety barriers and lighting, marking out new lanes, and cleaning the new viaduct. The programme follows the successful operation overnight to slide a 800 tonne lifting gantry from the new viaduct on to the existing northbound viaduct adjacent to it. The new viaduct will also undergo a detailed safety inspection to assure the NZTA it is ready to be opened.

The NZTA says the work remains on track and the new viaduct will be opened no later than 8am tomorrow (Monday, 30 January).

A section of the northbound motorway lanes, including the Newmarket Viaduct, is closed from the Market Road off-ramp to the Gillies Avenue on-ramp so that this necessary work can be completed.

The NZTA's acting State Highways Manager for Auckland and Northland, Steve Mutton, says drivers appear to be heeding advice to avoid the motorway and surrounding streets during the closures, which began at 5pm last night.

"Generally traffic conditions are pretty good, although it is getting heavy around the Newmarket urban area. There are a lot of vehicles on the roads during a Sunday - up to 65,000 on average - and we advise people not to travel while this closure is in place to avoid any chance of being caught in congestion."

ENDS

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