A major roading project at Rolleston, near Christchurch, has reached a fresh milestone with a call going out for a contractor to carry out physical work on Stage 1 of the project.

The State Highway 1 Rolleston Access Improvements project – a Road of Regional Significance – will provide transport improvements through Rolleston that mean better connections for people and businesses.

“Rolleston is at the heart of the Selwyn District, which has been the fastest growing district in New Zealand, which makes these transport improvements all the more important,” says regional manager for New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA), Sean Walsh.

Stage 1 involves a new roundabout at the Dunns Crossing and Walkers Road intersection with State Highway 1 that will make it easier and safer to enter and exit Rolleston and the industrial area from the south. This will provide efficiencies for freight as they will have a less congested connection into the industrial area.

The project team has completed design, property acquisition and consenting to enable construction on Stage 1 to start in October this year (once a contractor has been appointed), with planned completion in December next year.

Stage 2 includes a flyover connecting Rolleston township with business/industrial areas, improved safety at high-risk highway intersections, the removal of the two signalised intersections on SH1 (Hoskyns Rd and Rolleston Drive North), the extension of the two southbound lanes on the motorway to just south of the proposed bridge at Rolleston, a southbound service lane to access businesses and Rolleston town centre, and major safety improvements and upgrades to the rail level crossing at Hoskyns Rd.

Work continues on design, property acquisition and consenting for Stage 2, with an anticipated construction start date of October 2026.

Last week NZTA issued a Request for Tenders for the Stage 1 physical works contract for the construction of a roundabout at the SH1/ Dunns Crossing Rd/Walkers Rd intersection, realignment and widening of the SH1, Dunns Crossing Rd, and Walkers Rd carriageways; efficiency improvements at the Weedons interchange and the construction of a new – and the removal of the existing – rail level crossing on Walkers Rd.

“The work will mean some disruption, but of course we will be doing everything we can to minimise that disruption for road users and the adjacent community,” Mr Walsh says.

“It’s a positive sign to see progress on projects like this one, adding to a series of projects already underway or in planning on the state highway corridor between Timaru and Lyttelton ports. These include a second Ashburton bridge and the upgrade of SH76/Brougham Street which was formally launched last week.”

The full Rolleston Access Improvements project is estimated for completion in late 2028, at a current estimated cost of between $180 to $200 million, including contingencies.

Read more about the project here. Later this month, the project team will be out and about in Rolleston to chat with people about the project.

These drop-in sessions will be a great chance to ask questions, view plans, and learn more about what’s coming. The drop-in sessions are as follows:

• Selwyn Sports Centre 70 Broadlands Drive | Saturday 26 July, 10.30am-12.30pm
• Te Ara Ātea 56 Tennyson Street | Thursday 31 July, 2.30-5.30pm
• West Rolleston School 327 Dunns Crossing Road | Monday 4 and Tuesday 5 August, 2.30-3.30pm both days.

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