23 November 2020 Flyover of the Transmission Gully roading project north of Wellington. Video / Mark Mitchell
Construction of Wellington's troubled Transmission Gully motorway is now more than 85 per cent complete and NZTA is confident it will open next September.
The 27km road has suffered delays, cost blowouts, and is now the subject of a Government-ordered review.
It was meant to be open by April 2020,then it was pushed back to before Christmas this year, and now it's due to open in September 2021.
The project is being built through a public-private partnership, the Wellington Gateway Partnership (WGP), with CPB Contractors and HEB Construction sub-contracted to carry out the design and construction.
The total cost of the road has climbed to $1.25 billion after NZTA bailed out contractors twice due to issues including the Kaikōura earthquake, extreme weather events, and the Covid-19 pandemic.
But Wellington Gateway Partnership chief executive Sergio Mejia said today he could see the light at the end of the tunnel and was confident the road would open next September.
"I'm certain we're going to hit the target, we're fully committed and we're on schedule."
Wellington Gateway Partnership chief executive Sergio Mejia and Waka Kotahi NZTA project delivery senior manager Andy Thackwray. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Mejia said he was proud of the team working on the four-lane motorway that will run from Mackays Crossing to Linden.
"Regardless of how difficult things are and have been, the guys keep going and keep working.
There will be some activity on the site over Christmas, but crews will take a break before coming back to go "full steam ahead", Mejia said.
"You'll see the crews laying pavement and the road will be largely completed mid next year."
Waka Kotahi NZTA project delivery senior manager Andy Thackwray acknowledged Wellingtonians have waited a long time for the road to open.
When asked how the transport agency would rebuild public confidence in the project, Thackwray said: "It's a very difficult and complex project to deliver, we are on track to open next year and we'll stay on track."
Running from north to south, the first part of the alignment is where there is the most work left to do.
The largest excavation cuts have been made at this end of the road, where the Wainui Saddle is.
The Transmission Gully construction site at Wainui Saddle. Photo / Mark Mitchell
The cuts here are up to 70m deep resulting in the removal of more than 865,000 cubic metres of earth.
That amount equates to almost three times the volume of Wellington's Sky Stadium.
During the Kaikōura Earthquake a slip came down in this area, which proved to be just one of many setbacks for the Transmission Gully build.
The gravel will eventually be mixed with cement and layered on to the road. About 780,000 tonnes of crushed rock is needed for pavement construction at Transmission Gully.
It's truck city further along at the Waitangirua Interchange.
At the moment there are 57 tipper trucks working on site to move the pavement material around to where it's needed.
Farmland surrounds the alignment and little access roads have been built underneath the main Transmission Gully route to maintain accessibility.
Up to 7km of local streams have been diverted and ecologists have trapped and transferred 31,000 fish to ensure they didn't get disturbed by construction work.
It's hoped that in less than 10 years after the new motorway opens, the water quality and surrounding environment will be in a better state than before the motorway was built.
