23 November 2020 Flyover of the Transmission Gully roading project north of Wellington. Video / Mark Mitchell
ANALYSIS:
There's enough doubt over Transmission Gully opening on time that the parties involved have started positioning themselves for a blame game.
The latest in what is shaping up to be a suspenseful race to finish the $1.25 billion road out of Wellington is an alarm sounding at the regionalcouncil.
There are 41 tasks that need signing off and the report says there's a risk the project's partners will not meet these requirements for the road to legally open on time.
It doesn't need a vote; it is an update and summary of the situation. In other words, it has very deliberately been put on a publicly available document.
Wellington Gateway Partnership CEO Sergio Mejia and NZTA senior project delivery manager Andy Thackwray at Transmission Gully. Photo / Mark Mitchell
The council is signalling less than seven weeks from the grand opening date of September 27 that there are problems.
The last thing the council wants is to be blamed for Transmission Gully opening late after the road's history of budget blowouts, delays and bailouts.
The council is saying it will do its best within the time constraints it has been given.
A month ago Waka Kotahi NZTA sent a cryptic press release to manoeuvre on the issue of so much to do, so little time.
The release read like Waka Kotahi didn't appear to share the confidence of those building Transmission Gully that the road will open when it's meant to.
The four-lane motorway is being built by a public-private partnership (PPP), the Wellington Gateway Partnership (WGP), with CPB Contractors and HEB Construction sub-contracted to carry out the design and construction.
Early last month Waka Kotahi transport services general manager Brett Gliddon said the builder had made assurances construction was on track.
He said this was "in spite of" the short window of time remaining to carry out a significant amount of work needed to open the road.
"[There's] a lot of work still to do in a relatively short space of time, in challenging winter conditions. That combination of factors means there continues to be a risk around achieving the agreed opening date."
When asked this week about the 41 outstanding tasks for resource consent requirements, Waka Kotahi said it was up to the contractor and the builder to meet them.
The transport agency is all too aware of the high public expectation for the road to be opened as soon as possible, and preferably on time.
Kenepuru Interchange at Transmission Gully. Photo / Mark Coote
Again, the press release was a signalling exercise effectively saying all might not got to plan and that's on the builder.
Meanwhile, the contractor and builder have been left to make assurances everything is on track.
Wellington Gateway Partnership chief executive Sergio Mejia said construction of the motorway was 98 per cent complete.
But he fell short of saying he was confident the road would open by the agreed date.
"We will not be bypassing any of the necessary sign-offs. Transmission Gully motorway will open as soon as all the necessary legal and contractual requirements are fulfilled," he said.
The financial penalties for the builder are severe if the road isn't open on time.
They'll be liable for damages of more than $250,000 a day. Furthermore, $7.5m of a $145.5m settlement covering the cost impacts of Covid-19 will be paid only if the road is open on time.
Considering Transmission Gully's track record, it's not surprising the parties involved are preparing for the worst case scenario.
If September 27 comes around without a ribbon-cutting ceremony, the public will be looking for someone to blame.
