Airport Opens 2020 Infrastructure Drive With Southwestern Project

• Redevelopment and road-widening of Laurence Stevens Drive aligns with major public-transport projects
• Continued development of key Southwest Gateway project opens a busy year for Auckland Airport
• Airport is building on success with major developments in 2019

Auckland Airport is launching an important year of delivery on infrastructure projects as work begins on its major southern gateway.

A multi-million-dollar project on Laurence Stevens Drive will bring better transport links from the south of Auckland Airport, connecting with major public transport projects and providing a resilient roading network inside the airport precinct.

André Lovatt, General Manager Airport Development and Delivery, said the Laurence Stevens Drive project will link to the new Park & Ride South facility and complements a joint investment by the New Zealand Transport Agency and Auckland Transport in safety improvements and priority lanes.

“As we deliver on these projects, we’re boosting accessibility for important public-transport links,” said Mr Lovatt. “The Laurence Stevens Drive redevelopment is a cornerstone project on our path to improving access for public transport from the Puhinui Interchange and easing traffic flow on the southern corridor to the airport. Ultimately, there will be more options for travellers to get to and from the airport.

“We’re working with our partners to ensure better journeys for all travellers – whether they’re flying out from the airport or driving here for work.”

“The past 12 months have been busy for our teams developing the airport’s transport networks – and 2020 will be even bigger.

“We’ve got more than 200 projects planned and we’re six months into construction on the Northern Network Transport Project where the public can see the changes being delivered on George Bolt Memorial Drive,” said Mr Lovatt. “There’s even more happening out of sight as we develop a one-way loop road that will allow traffic to flow efficiently past the international terminal before connecting back into George Bolt Memorial Drive.

“The new Altitude Drive will provide additional roading capacity, allowing terminal-bound traffic better reliability as we prepare for future development and infrastructure.

“I’m looking forward to driving on the new road from the international terminal to George Bolt Memorial Drive before the end of the year,” said Mr Lovatt.

The Northern Network Transport Project is more than 23% complete and has already seen almost 28,000m2 of topsoil removed and more than a kilometre of stormwater pipes laid.

Auckland Airport is investing to upgrade its transport network. These projects will help the airport handle the expected more than 40 million passengers and 260,000 flights a year by 2044 – double the number of passengers accommodated today.

The development of Laurence Stevens Drive will see the road widened with a new inbound high-occupancy vehicle lane added. Pedestrian paths and bus stops on Laurence Stevens Drive will be improved and two new bus stops added.

Fulton Hogan has been named as the contractor for work on Laurence Stevens Drive.

Gavin Riddle, Fulton Hogan Auckland Regional Manager, said they were pleased to be the contractor on another critical piece of infrastructure. “This project links in directly with other works we have on at present in the area for the Auckland International Airport and the NZ Transport Agency in the southern gateway.”

The project is scheduled to run until December 2020.

PROGRESS ON INFRASTRUCTURE AT AUCKLAND AIRPORT FROM 2019

• The Northern Network Transport Programme is 23% complete
• Work began on the Park & Ride South site in early-December and is on track to open by the end of 2020
• 145 metres of new fuel pipeline has been put in place for infrastructure integrity

With more than 76,000m3 of earth removed, construction on the airfield expansion project is 10% complete, and on track for completion in late-2021

© Scoop Media