20 Jan 2019

Kāpiti Coast highway redesign begins this week

2:44 pm on 20 January 2019

Work will begin next week to turn the former state highway running along the Kāpiti Coast into a local road.

Roadwork will begin to transform Main Road North, Waikanae.

Roadwork will begin to transform Main Road North, Waikanae. Photo: Google Maps

The road has been replaced by the Kāpiti expressway which was completed in February 2017.

NZTA will begin work on Tuesday to transform a section of highway, from the northern end of Waikanae town at Main Road North, to Peka Peka Link Road but not including the stretch of highway running through the township.

The work will involve redesigning the road layout to suit lower traffic volumes, pavement widening, and resurfacing work. It is due to be completed at the end of April.

It is part of a wider construction project that will turn the 13.5 kilometre stretch of road from Poplar Avenue in Raumati South to Peka Peka Link Road into a local road, before NZTA give the road over to the Kāpiti Coast District Council.

"[The Kāpiti expressway] is the first of the Wellington northern corridor projects to be completed, separating local and highway traffic to ensure safer and more efficient trips for people travelling along the Kāpiti Coast," the Transport Agency's Senior Manager Project Delivery Chris Hunt said.

The project is expected to take up to two years to be completed.