Blessing marks start of highway realignment
Ablessingwas held lastweek to mark the start of construction of the realignment of State Highway 2 College Rd to Silverstream. The project to realign the 1.7km stretch of road also includes anew southbound passing lane, wider shoulders, median and side barriers, and a right-turn bay into College Rd.
“Weare grateful to Dr James Grahamand Martin Whaanga of Pukehou Marae for performing the blessing tomark the start of this important project,” said Waka-Kotahi senior project manager Rob Partridge.
“When complete, this project will improve the safety and efficiency of this key freight route which connects Hawke’s Bay and the Manawatu¯.
“This is part of awider investment we’re making across the Hawke’s Bay and East Coast to make the state highway network safer and more resilient for everyone.”
The project will be staged to minimise disruption. Most of the construction work will be to the side of the existing highway, which will reduce delays to road users. There will, however, be some disruption when undertaking the tie-ins to the existing highway.
Motorists are advised to check for traffic updates on Waka-Kotahi’s Journey Planner website.
The project is funded by the regional package of the NZ Upgrade Programme. It will address key challenges our regional state highway networks face including safety risks, resilience and congestion problems, accessibility and travel time reliability. The project will also support regional economic development.