Transit celebrates start of work on SH2 Dowse to Petone Upgrade

Transit New Zealand celebrates the start of work on the SH2 Dowse to Petone Upgrade Project today with an event at the site of the new Dowse Interchange.

Transport Minister Hon Annette King, Hutt City Mayor David Ogden and Transit Network Operations General Manager Roly Frost (on behalf of chief executive Rick van Barneveld) will ‘turn the first sod’ to officially mark the start of construction.

Local iwi representatives from the Te Tatua O Te Po Marae will also formally bless the site ahead of work beginning on 6 August 2007.

The more than $60 million project, built by Transit on behalf of the Government, is the biggest carried out in the Wellington region for some time.

“This is a substantial investment in the region’s roading infrastructure and marks the start of work to improve SH2 through the Hutt Valley. While the traffic volume growth issues within this sector are locally significant, they are of even greater national significance, and it is absolutely crucial that we develop the quality transport infrastructure needed to transform our economy into the 21st century,” says Minister of Transport Hon Annette King.

Transit chief executive Rick van Barneveld says the project will reduce delays, improve safety and provide motorists with a more “expressway” style road into and out of the Hutt Valley.

He says the major features of the project are the new Dowse Interchange at the base of Dowse Drive, a new overbridge at Korokoro, improvements to the Petone Railway Station’s park and ride facilities, and establishment of a new service road behind the Korokoro Industrial Area.

“This means there will be fewer access points to the state highway, which cause delays and are a safety issue.”

The project will take two and a-half years to complete and introduces a new southern gateway into Hutt City with the Dowse Interchange. The interchange is similar in style to Porirua’s Mungavin Interchange and provides access to and from the state highway connecting with Hutt Road.

Mr van Barneveld says Transit is looking forward to working with the project’s designer, Beca, and contractor, Fletcher Higgins Joint Venture, on this development of the state highway network.

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