Massive roading project inspires awe
Woodville ‘Walk the Highway’ event gives locals chance to view the mighty construction work in progress
It is well known you only get to see about 10 per cent of an iceberg above water, and so it is when looking at Te Ahu A Turanga, the new Tararua to Manawatu highway replacement for the now-closed Manawatu Gorge Rd, from Woodlands Rd.
From both the Ashhurst area and Woodlands Rd near Woodville travellers can glimpse parts of the roads being constructed to enable the really big machinery access so the heavy lifting can begin after winter has passed.
Recently contractor Fulton Hogan’s site manager for Worksite 4, Sam Jaques, took us on a quick trip to the top of Cut 31, above Woodlands Rd, for a view over work already in progress. And there is where the iceberg analogy kicks in.
From the top of what will be a cut that will see some 1.25 million cubic metres of earth taken away, a whole scene of construction work and activity could be observed.
Like any respectable iceberg there is much going on that is just not visible to motorists on their way to or from Woodville.
Heavy diggers, motor scrapers, bulldozers and assorted plant items are already making their marks on the landscape. Sizeable engineering works can already be seen in large and smaller run-off containment ponds, shining bright with their geotex liners.
The scale of this major public work is very evident and awe-inspiring as you stand before a heavy digger at work on Cut 31.
It is very easy to feel you have found the unseen 90 per cent of the iceberg; for sure.
On Sunday May 23, as part of the “Walk the Highway” event hosted by Woodville Lions and Woodville School, the public will get a last chance to see these worksites until the new road opens in about four or five years time.
The chairman of the project, Andrew Bolton, is “keen to see as many people get to take part in this ‘once-in-a decade’ experience as can be fitted in the buses we have hired”.
“At the moment we are happy to say the response looks good and available places are being taken up quickly,” Andrew says.
The walk’s route will roughly follow that of the new road, over a mix of signed access and farm roads.
Vistas over ridges to future sites of major cuttings and gullies yet to be filled will be made memorable through track marshals, Waka Kotahi/ NZ Land Transport Authority and contractors’ site staff on hand to describe the plans.
Bookings to join the awesome and unparalleled walk experience of “Walk the Highway” close this Friday, May 14, at 4pm. They can be made through the Woodville iSite. Phone 06 376 0217, freephone 0800 TARARUA (0800 827 278), fax 06 376 1025 or get the complete information from our Tararua Visitor website: http://www. tararua.com/Events/May-2021/Walkthe-NewHighway.