Next section of Western Corridor underway

Work got underway this morning on the fourth of six sections of Christchurch’s Western Corridor motorway, with the first sod turned by Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee for the Johns Road section from The Groynes to Sawyers Arms Road.

“This is an important day for Christchurch and the wider community as completion of this critical link in three years’ time will not only provide much needed capacity to cope with the significant growth in traffic in the region but will also support the region’s economic growth by reducing travel times and the cost of moving freight and people,” Mr Brownlee says.

The Western Corridor is one of the three projects which form part of the more than $800 million Christchurch Roads of National Significance (RoNS) programme, the most ambitious highway construction programme ever undertaken in the South Island.

“During the next decade this programme will continue to create jobs, improve access to facilities and help to efficiently move the goods and services that are required for the rebuild.”

Mr Brownlee says four-laning the existing highway and building the new Western Belfast Bypass will improve access to the city’s freight hubs and connections to Christchurch International Airport and Lyttelton Port of Christchurch to get goods to international markets.

“The Western Corridor will also improve connections to the neighbouring communities within the Waimakariri and Selwyn districts which have seen significant growth since the Canterbury earthquakes and are experiencing delays and longer journeys getting to work, home and school.

“The Western Corridor will take about half the traffic away from the Main North Road through Belfast.

“While the RoNS programme improves links to communities, it also improves safety by reducing traffic volumes on local roads, making it safer for local communities to enjoy cycling and walking opportunities, as well as having better access to public transport

“This will ensure residents have a range of travel choices,” Mr Brownlee says.

The $42.3 million contract for this section of the Western Corridor, from The Groynes to Sawyers Arms Road, has been awarded to Downer Ltd.  The company will begin work on the three-year project this week.

The remaining two sections of the Western Corridor – the new Western Belfast Bypass and Russley Road, from Avonhead Park to Harewood Road – are expected to get underway in the new year.

When completed, the Western Corridor will provide a safer, more efficient and reliable route around the city, at the same time helping to alleviate traffic congestion to the north of Christchurch and improve access to and from industrial areas.

It will be the first of the three Christchurch RoNS corridors to be fully completed.

For more information on Christchurch’s RoNS visit: www.nzta.govt.nz/network/projects/christchurch-motorways/