Hamilton's Claudelands Bridge reopens as intersection work finishes early

Traffic is flowing again along one of the main routes in and out of the city as the Claudelands intersection reopens. Photo / Supplied

Hamilton City Council reopened Claudelands Bridge to all traffic today after upgrade work was completed earlier than expected at the Claudelands East intersection.

The Claudelands Rd/Grey St intersection, through to the Heaphy Tce/O'Neill St/Brooklyn Rd intersection, was closed for almost four weeks to allow upgrades for safety, traffic light, signalling and other works.

Originally expected to be complete by Friday, November 11, the intersection was fully reopened to traffic several days earlier than initially announced.

The council's public transport and urban mobility manager, Martin Parkes, is pleased to see the upgrades complete, and the new-and-improved area open earlier than planned.

"We are delighted that we were able to exceed expectations and get a wide range of construction works finished ahead of schedule," said Parkes. "We understand, and our community has told us of their frustrations due to the closure – so being able to successfully deliver this project and reopen as usual has been the focus through managing this project.

During the weeks Claudelands Bridge was closed to vehicle traffic it was well-used by pedestrians and the usual cyclists. Photo/ Peter Tiffany

"While we do regret the inconvenience over the last few weeks, these works were critical to ensuring we can continue to meet the demands of our city's current and future growth – and provide a safe, smart, and accessible transport system so we can all continue to get where we need to go."

Parkes said he understood people's frustration over the last few weeks, but the closure was only for a short period.

"Work could be done in four or five weeks with the intersection closed but would have stretched out to four months if it was open under restricted traffic conditions," he said.

"Roading projects must be done, especially in a growing city with pressure on transport networks."

The upgrade works include improving pedestrian and biking facilities, installing traffic calming measures, and road resurfacing. As part of these safety improvements, a no-right-turn travelling north from Grey St into Claudelands Rd was implemented, to streamline traffic turning right into Brooklyn Rd.

The improvements also included a complete replacement of the traffic light system through the area – including its underground wiring and connections to power and fibre – which was last upgraded in 1990.

"Replacing the old traffic light system means we can now tweak signals and sequences, as well as monitor the traffic data through that area – all of which has huge benefits for both us and our community," said Parkes. "Being able to complete this work and fully replace 32-year-old infrastructure means those traffic lights have now been brought onto the same system as the rest of the city."

Now that the Claudelands East intersection upgrades are complete, there are more connected cycle and walkway network links through the area – including those which extend across the Claudelands Bridge and into the city centre.