Work on notorious intersection moving ahead
Good progress is being made on a notorious Waikato intersection with the main foundations largely finished, New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi says.
The intersection – a key connector for Auckland, Waikato and the Bay of Plenty - is used by about 20,000 vehicles a day and can regularly back up for hundreds of metres in peak times.
Work began in January on a two-lane roundabout which will replace the Piarere intersection.
Traffic south of the roundabout has moved to a newly constructed section of road beside SH1 so that road workers can focus on the southern side of the Tīrau approach.
The short bypass road rejoins SH1 before the intersection, and it’s expected to remain in place until September 2024.
There is a temporary speed limit of 60kph in place to protect the workers on the project site.
It’s expected the roundabout will take two years to complete, and once done
NZTA said the 60-metre-wide roundabout will greatly improve safety and wait times for those travelling to and from Waikato.
The $40m project will be futureproofed with pedestrian and cycle pathways.
This is also designed to connect with a future motorway from Cambridge to Piarere.
There will be a closed stub on the roundabout that can be opened when the expressway is complete.
The roundabout will be four metres higher at the centre than the current site level which meant around 150 trucks a day were bringing fill to the site.
NZTA said there are a few reasons as to why the roundabout has to be lifted.
The height allows for the three state highway approaches, the underpass structures and a fourth connection for the future expressway.
Two underpasses are for walking and cycling connections.
The width of the roundabout allows for two lanes, an approach speed of 90kph and facilitates safe freight movements. The approach roads will be built up to ensure visibility remains.