MEDIA RELEASE

22 March 2013

NZ Transport Agency – Auckland Regional Office

Old Ak Motorway Off-Ramp Gets Cultural Makeover

One of the NZ Transport Agency’s disused motorway off-ramps in central Auckland is getting a cultural makeover – and a temporary new lease of life as the concrete canvas for an art exhibition.

The old Nelson Street off-ramp, which was part of the motorway network in Auckland’s CBD, will provide the backdrop for an open air art gallery this Saturday (23 March) as part of the annual exhibition called the Urbis Designday.

“Were delighted that this old section of the motorway network can be used to get artists out of their traditional studios and galleries,” says the NZTA’s State Highways Manager for Auckland, Tommy Parker. “Our aim is to improve transport connections across the city, and where it is appropriate we include art as a permanent feature on some of our big projects like the Victoria Park Tunnel and the duplicate bridge over the Manukau Harbour.”

This year’s Urbis Designday is called “Journey of Connections”. The Nelson Street installation is one of 10 sites around the city. The design is intended to represent the evolution of transport beyond the car.

People will not have direct access to the off-ramp, but they will be able to view the Nelson Street gallery from Karangahape Road and the Hopetoun Street Bridge.

The Nelson Street off-ramp was closed to traffic eight years ago when the NZTA completed a series of improvements to the Central Motorway Junction.

ENDS

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