Historic moment
Transmission Gully officially opens
ATransmission Gully blessing and ribbon cutting ceremony including Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Transport Minister Michael Wood, and various other dignitaries was expected to take place this morning.
The road is due to open to motorists either later today or in the early hours of tomorrow — a game-changer for Ka¯piti residents commuting into Wellington.
While the long-awaited $1.25 billion four-lane motorway has been bogged down with delays, construction defects and budget blowouts, now is the time to celebrate a remarkable engineering feat.
It’s also a time to congratulate the many men and women — from those behind the desktops to those operating the heavy machinery and everyone in between — who have done the hard mahi over the years to create a road we can be proud of.
Let’s not forget that an extraordinary amount of work has gone into this project, which is considered to be one of the most significant pieces of new road construction in New Zealand.
And, importantly, the road is designed to be safer and more reliable for motorists, and will also be better able to resist and recover from earthquakes and storms.
The former State Highway 1 had served its use-by date a long time ago and motorists will be pleased not to be stuck in frustrating traffic delays along the former motorway, especially the stretch between Whenua Tapu and Pukerua Bay.
Let’s also spare a moment to remember those who lost their lives throughout the years on the former road.
The new road makes Ka¯piti more accessible, making the district a more desirable place to live with its warmer climate and easy way of life, now that much closer to Wellington.
It’s great that the gully route is finally opening and it is bound to impress those using it.
Drivers will need to be alert as they familiarise themselves with the road as well as be aware of a few things.
There is no stopping anywhere on the road, which is separated by barriers, except in an emergency.
And parts of the new motorway are located high in the hills and can be affected by strong winds, fog, and even snow or ice in winter so people need to remember to drive to the conditions and adjust their speed accordingly.
There might be temporary speed limits in place because one-third of the new motorway has an asphalt surface, while the remaining twothirds is chipseal.
The chipseal surface needs to settle and driving too fast may send loose chips flying, or driving too slow may lead to chips sticking to vehicles.
Waka Kotahi has also told motorists to plan their journeys and familiarise themselves with the changes to their trips when taking the new route.
For example, the journey into Wellington from Porirua’s city centre will be different to the route home.
In other locations, the new motorway might not actually be the most efficient route to take.
People driving to or from Mana, Plimmerton or Pukerua Bay should continue to use the State Highway 59 coastal route.
When the road opens, Transmission Gully will become State Highway 1 and will be the main route in and out of Wellington.