Business welcomes opening of SH 2/58 Haywards Interchange

Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce

Media Statement

Thursday 3rd August 2017

Business welcomes opening of State Highway 2/58 Haywards Interchange

A new interchange separating traffic flows at the Western Hutt/Haywards Hill roads officially opened today has been welcomed by the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce.

“The Chamber has been advocating for some time for improvements to our local and regional transport network,” says Mark Futter, Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive.

"This is a busy route for the Hutt Valley's businesses, used to transport goods across the region over to Porirua and further north up SH1. The $43 million investment will deliver for all road users, improving the overall safety, efficiency and resilience of the region's transport network, as well as reducing travel times.

The improvements include the new interchange at the Western Hutt/Haywards Hill roads (State Highway 2/State Highway 58) intersection and also includes realignment of the Manor Park highway connection, McDougall Grove and Hebden Crescent, a park and-ride car park and a pedestrian bridge to Manor Park Rail Station.

"The grade-separated interchange is similar to the Dowse interchange further south on State Highway 2, which has alleviated some traffic issues. The Chamber would welcome the development of other similar interchanges along the SH2 transport corridor, such as at Melling intersection.

"For this to happen, local and central government must continue to look for ways to work together.

"We also welcome the current consultation NZTA is undertaking on improving the safety of SH58 itself. The statistics show that over the past 10 years there have been over 200 crashes causing four deaths and 17 serious injuries on the section of SH58 between State Highway 2 and the Pauatahanui roundabout. Until we have the much-needed, much talked about route to connect the valley across to Tawa, we need to make sure that this current route, over the Haywards, is improved.

"The NZTA consultation is open until 21 August. We would encourage businesses to participate in this process."

ENDS

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