Allow for longer journey times on State Highway 58 this weekend

Sharron Pardoe Reporter from Upper Hutt Leader

Motorists are being advised to allow extra time for their journeys over State Highway 58 this weekend, or consider taking alternative routes, as work starts (weather permitting) on the tie-in between the existing road and the new Haywards Interchange.

The work was scheduled for earlier this month but was postponed because of a poor weather forecast.

Significant delays are likely while work is carried out between 7pm on Friday August 25 and 7pm Sunday August 27.

Stop-go traffic management will be in place between Hugh Duncan St and SH 2.

Wellington Transport System Manager, Mark Owen says the work is needed to construct the new road alignment that will connect State Highway 58 and State Highway 2 at the interchange. Once completed, the route will be safer, smoother and more resilient.

“We try to minimise delays to traffic where we can, however it is unavoidable due to the reconstruction of the existing road, and we need to finish this work as quickly as possible. We are encouraging people to use an alternative route if at all possible over the weekend, as there could be significant delays with SH 58 down to one lane, while crews are working. Please bear with us while we get it finished, and then we can all look forward to enjoying the benefits of this new infrastructure.”

Crews will be working day and night with stop/go traffic management in place at all times. The work is weather dependent, so please keep an eye on the NZTA Twitter and Facebook pages, and pay attention to the electronic message boards in the area. “If wet weather strikes we will reschedule the work to a weekend when fine weather is forecast.”