An upgrade of the Takanini Interchange will provide a new freight lane and ramps for better traffic flow, as part of the Southern Corridor improvements project says the New Zealand Transport Agency.
It will allow easier access to the motorway and will also improve safety for all road users including vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists.
Today the transport minister, Simon Bridges turned the first sod on the project to mark the start of construction.
It is the second of four Government accelerated transport projects for the Auckland region.
The NZ Transport Agency’s $268 million project extends from Manukau to Papakura along State Highway 1.
Leighton Contractors will start establishment work from November with construction beginning in February.
The project will be completed by 2018.
More southbound lanes will be completed in early 2017 to coincide with the opening of the Waterview tunnel to ensure there’s enough capacity for the additional traffic entering SH1 from SH20.
The NZ Transport Agency’s Auckland Highways Manager, Brett Gliddon, says the project is a critical piece of the network.
“The project will support the rapid population growth that is expected in South Auckland over the next 30 years while meeting the immediate needs of the city,” says Gliddon.
Walking and cycling improvements will also form a key part of the improvements project.
A new 4.5km off-road, 3m wide shared-use pedestrian and cycleway is proposed to run along the corridor from Papakura to Great South Road.
The project will upgrade 16 bridges and construct six new structures including a shared user path across the Pahurehure Inlet and the new Pescara Point Bridge; a new walking and cycling facility that will connect the local cycle network and Karaka Harbourside and Papakura communities.
