Work starts on Christchurch Northern Corridor

Work will start on the Christchurch Northern Corridor following a start of work celebration this morning. The new section of the northern motorway will be built to the east of Belfast, between the Waimakariri River and Cranford Street, to provide relief for North Canterbury commuters travelling into Christchurch.

The project is being built by an alliance including the New Zealand Transport Agency, Christchurch City Council, Fulton Hogan, Aurecon and Jacobs, and will take four years to build.

Christchurch City Council Deputy Mayor Andrew Turner says, “The Christchurch Northern Corridor is designed to reduce congestion between North Canterbury and Christchurch, and improves access to the Lyttelton Port.

“The project will also reduce traffic on local roads and particularly Main North Road. This will improve safety and travel time reliability for people walking, biking and using public transport.”

Waimakariri District Council Mayor David Ayers says, “We have had a lot of population growth in the Waimakariri District over the past decade so it is pleasing to see transport infrastructure improving to match that growth.

“The Christchurch Northern Corridor combined with Western Corridor improvements will help to ease congestion to the north of Christchurch.”

The Christchurch Northern Corridor includes:
· The upgrade of QEII Drive to four lanes between Main North Road and Innes Road

· Better access to the growing industrial zoned area around Belfast

· A third northbound lane on the Waimakariri motorway bridge through to Tram Road

· A separated shared pedestrian/cyclist path along the length of the project

· Improvements to the public transport network on Main North Road

· A planned connection to the Papanui Parallel Major Cycle Route from Cranford Street.

“The addition of a shared path for people travelling on foot or by bike combined with a planned connection to the Papanui Parallel Major Cycle Route will be a welcome addition to Christchurch’s walking and cycling facilities,” says Deputy Mayor Turner.

“There is also a great opportunity to improve environmental outcomes in the area with stormwater improvements and native planting creating a significant ecological asset for our city.”

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