Upgrade work on the busy Kenepuru Drive/Raiha Street intersection has been brought forward by two years, without affecting the timing of other major roading work in Porirua City.

The Council’s City Delivery Committee recommended at its meeting last week that Council change the timing of Long-term Plan programme to allow this important work to start sooner.

Committee chairperson Councillor Anita Baker said there had been a significant increase in delays at this intersection – and traffic would increase significantly with the opening of Transmission Gully in 2020 – prompting the need to bring the work forward.

This was being done by making some timing changes to the work already budgeted for in the Long-term Plan.

But it was important that bringing the Kenepuru/Raiha work forward didn’t delay other priority work like the Whitford Brown intersection project.

“Both these areas are important connections in our city, and we’re pleased to have found a way to get both of them upgraded as a priority,” she said.

“As the work was already budgeted for this isn’t about putting more money into the projects, but making changes to the timing of the funding.”

Mayor Mike Tana said it was important for Council to work smart and be flexible, by making changes to the work programme when needs were identified in the community.

“Both these intersections need attention sooner rather than later and this work will help us make sure Porirua is a connected city as we continue to grow.”

The Kenepuru Drive/Raiha Street work is now scheduled for the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 work programme, and completion date for the two Whitford Brown intersections is still 2020/2021.

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