Minister of Transport Hon. Michael Wood gathered today with mana whenua, Lower Hutt Mayor Campbell Barry and other representatives from RiverLink partner organisations to mark the signing of the Interim Project Alliance Agreement (IPAA) with AECOM Fletcher.

AECOM Fletcher are the lead designers and constructors who will form an alliance with the RiverLink partners to deliver programme. The agreement begins the planning phase for construction which will begin later this year.

Mayor Campbell Barry is pleased we’re one step closer to getting shovels in the ground.

"RiverLink has been talked about for decades. We’re getting on with it, and we’re excited to have our Alliance partners on board so that our planning can ramp up and we can make real progress towards getting this crucial project underway" says Mayor Barry.

"RiverLink will create a more resilient CBD in the face of increasing severe weather events and deliver a more connected and vibrant city centre with Te Awa Kairangi (Hutt River) at its heart. It will stimulate greater economic growth and development, allow more housing, and revitalise our city centre, as well as providing commercial opportunities for our local businesses to be involved in building RiverLink in the years to come".

"We will now undertake detailed planning and engagement with our residents and businesses, as we look to manage construction alongside the day-to-day in our CBD. There is no doubt this will be disruptive for some time, but this is crucial work and is a once in a lifetime development of our city," says Mayor Barry.

The RiverLink programme is expected to begin main construction later this year and be completed in 2027.

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