Auckland Regional Office

10 May 2006

SH20 Mt Roskill Extension - Bridges take shape

Transit New Zealand's SH20 Mt Roskill Extension project takes another step forward this week when two key bridges - at Keith Hay Park and May Road - start to take shape.

The first section in a series of 20 metre long beams will be lifted by a large crane onto the deck of a new pedestrian and cyclist bridge at Keith Hay Park. The bridge will carry people over the proposed extension of the Southwestern Motorway from Keith Hay Park to Somerset Road.

The bridge, which is scheduled to be completed in late June, will provide a direct link between Mt Roskill Grammar School to the north and Keith Hay Park to the south.

The bridge will provide better access for the estimated 2,000 pedestrians and local school students who use the park every day. A new cycle lane will also be marked out on the bridge, allowing cyclists to continue down a circular ramp to meet the existing path at the park. This path will then link with cycleways planned between Hillsborough Road and Dominion Road.

Beams will also be lifted into place as part of construction on the new motorway overbridge at May Road. A total of 16 beams will be lifted one by one between two piers and inserted into the bridge deck this week, to complete the first part of the beam installation. A concrete deck surface will be constructed and the second stage of beams installed on the westbound side, to complete the bridge. When the overbridge opens in October, it will make driving easier for local traffic by separating the local road network from motorway traffic.

Construction will also start in July on a similar motorway overbridge at Dominion Road.

Motorists are asked to drive with caution around the May Road and Somerset Road areas as detours are in place.

ENDS

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