All options looked at, says NZTA

All options looked at, says NZTA

The Star sought clarification from NZTA about some of the changes to the original expressway design.

In response, project director Glen Prince says the expressway is a critical project to support the future growth of the region, along with improving the safety, resilience and efficiency of the state highway.

“Ō2NL is not unique in having to find savings where possible,” he says. “This exercise was comprehensive and all options were looked at.

“We acknowledge some of these changes aren’t welcomed by parts of the community. The changes affect 20 percent of the project – the remaining 80 percent of the project remains unchanged.

“We remain committed to providing an expressway which improves safety on State Highway 1, reduces travel times and increases resilience and reliability.”

He says Ō2NL will be a significantly safer highway than the existing stretch of SH1, and through the changes, the project team is continuing to work to the same high standards for safety.

“This is a significant piece of infrastructure for Horowhenua and Kāpiti, safely and efficiently connecting these regions to Wellington and further north.”

Asked if there would be any on/off slip roads so Ōhau or Manakau residents could access the expressway in either direction, said the RMA concept design included a connection at Tararua Road (Levin) to provide north and southbound entry and exit from the new road.  In the current preferred design, this will be achieved with a large dual-lane roundabout.

At the southern end of the new highway, the current preferred design includes a northbound off-ramp.  Southbound traffic on the old SH1 will travel through Ōtaki, before joining the Peka Peka to Ōtaki expressway at Ōtaki Gorge Road, about 4km to the south.

So people in Ōhau and Manakau won’t be using the expressway to get to and from Levin or Ōtaki.

NZTA confirmed the updated design would mean no overbridge connection at Manakau Heights Drive. This would mean access for this area will be via South Manakau Road.

“As a result, there will be a slight increase in travel times from Manakau Heights to Manakau township,” Glen says. “Once the new highway is open, the current SH1 will see traffic volumes reduce by more than half.”

Regarding increased traffic flows through Ōtaki – given Manakau/Ōhau residents will have to go through Ōtaki to go farther south – NZTA say modelling shows that about 3000 vehicles per day will travel on Taylors Road beneath the Peka Peka to Ōtaki expressway, with the vast majority of these travelling southbound. 

“Most of this southbound traffic will turn off rather than travelling through the Ōtaki shops on old SH1, with the traffic volume through the shopping area expected to increase by around 10 percent.”