Two-month disruption on Lake St

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from Otago News

Queenstown's Lake St will temporarily close from next Monday, August 28 for about two months to allow for the final stages of work to upgrade Man St.

Queenstown Lakes District Council property and infrastructure general manager Tony Avery acknowledged the closure would potentially cause delays during peak times for those travelling through town and noted the decision was not taken lightly.

“The ... team has carefully considered all possible options ... unfortunately, maintaining one lane on stop/go traffic management was not considered safe given the steepness of the street and the increased number of heavy vehicles required to complete the work."

Avery said the work was part of the infrastructure upgrades required to enable development of the land at Lakeview and would help create a safer environment for all road users.

It involved rebuilding Man St from Lakeview to Brecon St, including a wide shared path as far as Hay St, the rebuild of road foundations in preparation for sealing, raised safety platforms to slow down traffic and the installation of traffic lights to better manage the intersection of Man and Brecon streets.

“We will closely monitor the effects on traffic and maintain contact with the Wellington Transport Operations Centre, which operates traffic lights across the South Island. However, we also ask that drivers be patient, allow extra time if travelling through town to and from Fernhill and beyond or consider travelling outside of peak times where this is possible,” Avery said.