News Release

Riverside roundabout slip lane to go ahead January

It will be music to many ears – news that work will begin in January on the long anticipated slip-lane at Whangarei’s Riverside Drive roundabout.

Transfield Services will begin the $354,120 project in January, and the work should be completed in April, according to WDC Infrastructure Committee Chairman Greg Martin.

“We have taken quite a lot of flack from frustrated morning drivers held up on the Onerahi approach to the roundabout, so I am sure there will be relief at this news.

“The original plan for the roundabout included the slip lane, but it was part of much bigger project, and funding caused us to delay this part of the job to a second stage.

“That job was enormous and very complicated. It involved three roundabouts between Cobham Oval and Riverside, the bridge, which was built in the tide and would have been a huge project on its own, and an entire 1km road across some pretty testing ground conditions to Riverside Drive.

“Today’s other piece of good news is that most of this job designed by Northern Civil Consulting Engineers, will be completed off the road, meaning only the shoulder will need to be closed. That ensures only minimal delays, and those will be for only for a month.

Councillor Martin said the project would include widening the pavement, replacing part of the footpath, installing a retaining wall and new guardrail.

“However, people need to remember that Riverside Drive is a narrow, man-made causeway across mangrove swamps, rivers and tidal inlets that were covered in water at high tide. Even though it is far better than the shore road of old days, congestion remains an issue we are continuing to manage.

“There are also several intersections with it on the way to Onerahi and future plans will address the merging of traffic from side roads and widen the transport options for people coming into town .

“A concrete cycleway/footpath along Riverside Drive will make it much safer for people to walk, run, cycle and scooter into town and back. Funded in part by WDC and in part by the NZTA’s Cycling and Walking funding, it will include three new cycle way bridges beside the Riverside Drive bridges along that stretch of road. It is a technical job too, so will be completed over the next few years.

“It’s just another part of the really effective changes we are making to this District every year. It’s hard to solve all our problems all at once, but we do get things done bit by bit, and it’s really good to see,” he said.

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