Roading Awards Highlight Industry Response

Roading Excellence Awards Highlight Industry Response To New Zealand’s Transport Issues

Roading New Zealand is using its inaugural Roading Excellence Awards to celebrate industry boosting its capacity and changing the way it works so it can respond to increased demands on its resources.

“The Government has set aside $4-5 billion to help resolve roading issues during the next decade. The industry has responsibility to work together to improve New Zealand’s road infrastructure,” Roading New Zealand chief executive Chris Olsen said.

“The social and economic cost of congested roads is huge and the roading industry is in a unique position to help resolve this,” Mr Olsen said.

The awards, sponsored by Shell Bitumen and InfraTrain NZ, promote excellence and best practice in the provision of land transport infrastructure with the aim of celebrating the success of those who rise to these challenges and excel.

The Shell Bitumen Supreme Award for excellence in planning, design and construction of a road was jointly awarded to Western Bay of Plenty District Council, MWH NZ and HEB Contractors for the Pyes Pa hairpin realignment between Tauranga and Rotorua; and the Freeflow Alliance for the Grafton Gully to Central Motorway improvements in Auckland.

City Care Limited received the InfraTrain NZ Best Practice Award for excellence in the development and implementation of roading best practice with its Pre-Apprentice Work Skills Programme. Fulton Hogan and Higgins Contractors were highly commended in the best practice category.

Mr Olsen said the awards will shape the sector in the years ahead by celebrating and rewarding excellence in areas where improvement in the sector is needed and also by making available to everyone these quantum leaps of improvement.

John Wills, chief executive of supporting sponsor InfraTrain NZ acknowledged that there was a huge amount of work on the horizon for the sector. “We’re thrilled to be a part of this new initiative that will help to recognise the importance of and need for companies to be on their game, promoting best practice throughout that process,” he said.

Shell Bitumen manager Dave Garner said: “We’re excited about the awards and the opportunity it presents to encourage excellence in the planning, design and construction of New Zealand roads for now and in the future.”

About 170 people including roading contractors, consultants, local authorities, Transit New Zealand and other clients gathered for a gala dinner at the Duxton Hotel to celebrate excellence in roading projects throughout New Zealand.

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