Multi-Million Dollar Peninsula Road Upgrade Starting
Thursday 24 January 2008, 9:20AM
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The first stage of a more than $12 million dollar upgrade of Portobello Road and Harington Point Road on the Otago Peninsula is due to start next week.
The joint DCC and Land Transport New Zealand project will see the progressive widening of the Portobello Road/Harington Point Road to incorporate a high quality pedestrian and cycling facility along the majority of the road. The project is part of the DCC long term community plan that could take up to 20 years to complete.
Work on the first stage of the project covers Portobello Road at Company Bay and Harington Point Road between Tily Street and Weir Road.
The contract for the work on Portobello Road has been let to Fulton Hogan Ltd for $1.1m, with the Harington Point Road contract being let to Downer EDi Works for $2.8m. Land Transport NZ is paying around $2.5 million of the cost with the remainder being paid by the Dunedin City Council.
The initial phase of the project involves upgrading a number of sites. These are shown on the attached aerial photograph and will be carried out between now 2012/13. The total budgeted cost for the project is $12.5m. Land Transport NZ is meeting 65% of the cost of the work currently approved with the DCC paying the balance.
The project involves widening the existing road to around 10 metres. Most of this extra width will be used for new cycling and pedestrian facilities. The attached 3D computer generated images show a before and after view. The typical section drawings show how the new widths will be utilised.
Land Transport New Zealand Partnership Manager Southern, Jackie Curtis, says the development of new and safer cycling pedestrian facilities should encourage more walking and cycling on this important road. This project is a good fit with Land Transport New Zealand’s aim of encouraging more sustainable forms of travel such as walking and cycling to reduce people’s dependency on motor vehicles for short trips.
The sites for this first stage of the project have been selected to address deficiencies in the existing road. These range from poor pavement condition to substandard road geometry. Areas such as Macandrew Bay, that have higher pedestrian numbers, are also being targeted.
All relevant consents have been granted for Stage One construction sites. The DCC has worked closely with the Historic Places Trust and local Iwi regarding the historic stone sea walls and other significant and sensitive areas within the project zone.