In Transit December 1994/January 1995 No. 59 - the storm damage issue

 

In Transit December 1994

In Transit December 1994

In Transit December 1994

In Transit December 1994

In December 1994, Transit NZ was reporting on reconstruction over the past year on highways in Milford and Haast due to rainfall. However, it was able to fund reconstruction and restoration from its existing funding under the National Land Transport Programme.  It notes over 100km of road had been rebuilt or repaired, following massive rock falls and slips demolishing large segments of highways and burying bridges.  Christchurch was also hit, but it was noted that major projects were not badly affected.

This issue also reports:

• Construction of the Eland-Glengarry realignment on SH5 (Napier-Taupo Road) realigning 5km of state highway (and having a BCR of 7.6) 
• Decision to build passing bays in Homer Tunnel, partly because large tour coaches find it difficult to pass in the tunnel. The passing bay proposal had a lower BCR than the funding threshold, but funding was approved due to its strategic importance to tourism.
• Series of projects in Wellington including realignment of 1km of SH58, Martinborough flood relief bridge, Newland flyover construction commenced, Whangamoa Hill deviation on SH6 Marlborough underway, design of the Stoke bypass commenced, planning for bypasses of Ruby Bay and Motueka.
• Major public consultation on options for SH1 between Porirua and Waikanae, these were in response to Transmission Gully not being able to be funded in the foreseeable future.  Noting Transmission Gully was estimated to cost $150m at the time and not expected to be funded for at least 15 years (2009).  However, the Transmission Gully route was still to be designated to protect it from development and to give landowners certainty. 
• All Northland state highways will be sealed by 1996 following a contract to seal the last 10km of SH12 through Waipoua Forest, noting special root bridges were designed to avoid damaging kauri tree roots.
• Contract awarded to realign the Waiau Bridge and approaches in north Taranaki on SH3.
• Waikato projects including four-laning of Fairy Springs Road in Rotorua, sealing of the last 6km of SH25 Coromandel, Pokeno bypass, Mangatawhiri Bridge realignment and Tamahere deviation (Waikato Expressway).
• Auckland projects including completion of the Bombay Hills motorway extension, commencement of construction of the Mangere motorway (connecting the Mangere Bridge with the Papatoetoe Bypass and including the Airport motorway connection) and completion of the Upper Harbour highway interchange on the Northern Motorway. 

Top 'n Tales - October 1994 - the Stoke Bypass

 

Top 'n Tales October 1994

Top 'n Tales October 1994

This newsletter from the Wellington regional office of Transit NZ in 1994 focuses entirely on state highway projects in Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough, with the main feature being the design of the Stoke Bypass.  This road effectively became the main highway to the south of Nelson, taking heavy traffic out of Stoke and easing congestion approaching Nelson from the south. This newsletter notes that the design contract has been let, but construction funding not yet approved.  It notes the design would be two lanes with passing lanes, with provision for it to be a four-lane highway subsequently (it has not been four-laned as of 2023).  The Stoke Bypass was subsequently funded and opened in 2000, as a seven-kilometre highway that had originally been envisaged in the 1960s.

Other projects mentioned in this newsletter are almost all a series of minor safety improvement and asset replacement projects.