$6m safety upgrade starts in August
WORK on a $6 million project to improve safety at a notorious intersection near Queenstown will not start until at least August.
Last month, the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) announced the right turn out of Tucker Beach Rd on to State Highway 6 will be replaced with a slip road, accessed via the road under the Shotover River Bridge.
The announcement was greeted with enthusiasm by local residents and Queenstown Mayor Jim Boult, who said it was ‘‘great news and gratifying for the council which has continued to place considerable emphasis on the need for this decision’’.
Last week NZTA senior project manager Phil Dowsett confirmed construction tenders for the project close on June 26. Construction was not due to start before August, he said, and it was hoped the slip road would be operational by Christmas.
At the time of the announcement, Quail Rise residents’ spokeswoman Kerry Dunlop said people were delighted the work was going ahead after many years of growing traffic and increasing difficulty turning out of Tucker Beach Rd.
‘‘The underpass and slip road will dramatically reduce the risk of injury or death for cyclists, car and bus com muters,’’ Ms Dunlop said.
The project was likely to cost about $6 million. Road construction was an estimated $2.3 million, while $700,000 will be spent on retaining walls, and $700,000 on LED lighting, guardrails and landscaping.
Queenstown’s council will add $1.6 million to cover water and waste water pipes, which will be laid in the highway to support Quail Rise growth. That makes the contingency about $700,000.