MEDIA RELEASE

3 October 2012

NZ Transport Agency – Auckland Regional Office

Big lift will close Auckland’s Southern Motorway at Newmarket

The NZ Transport Agency advises drivers that there will be overnight closures on Auckland’s Southern Motorway (State Highway 1) at Newmarket this Sunday, 7 October, while the new Dilworth Footbridge is lifted into position across the traffic lanes.

Motorway traffic will be diverted on to detour routes during the following closure times:-
8pm to 5am: SH1 southbound closed between the Gillies Ave off-ramp and the Greenlane on-ramp
11pm to 5am: SH1 northbound closed between Greenlane off-ramp and Gillies Ave on-ramp

The NZTA’s Manager of Project Management Services, Tom Newson, says Sunday night is the best option for the full and partial closures of the motorway.

“We regret any inconvenience to drivers, but we have chosen a time when traffic volumes are light, and during the school holidays, to minimise disruption.”

During the closures, a 43 metre-long section of footbridge spanning the motorway just south of the Newmarket Viaduct, will be lifted into place by a crane. The second span of the footbridge, over the adjacent railway line, will be installed the following weekend.

Mr Newson says it is planned to have the new footbridge opened by the end of the month. The existing footbridge will then be removed.

“The new footbridge will be safer for both the people using it, and for motorway drivers,” he says. “It will be higher, reducing the risk of bridge strike from vehicles over the legal height limit, and unlike the existing footbridge, does not need to be supported by a pier located between the motorway lanes.”

This work is an important part of the completion of the Newmarket Viaduct Replacement Project undertaken by the NGA Newmarket Alliance of NZTA with its partners, Leighton Contractors, Fulton Hogan, VSL, URS, Beca, Boffa Miskell and Tonkin & Taylor. The four year project is due to be completed in December 2012.

Sunday’s closures are weather dependant. If the lift cannot be carried out this weekend, the work will be deferred until the following Sunday.

For more information visit www.nzta.govt.nz/newmarketconnection

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