Auckland's Franklin Rd: $21.9m construction project finally ends
Wednesday, 3 July 2019
A popular Auckland street has fully re-opened following a three-year long construction project.
Ponsonby's Franklin Rd attracts thousands of visitors a year. It's home to an annual Christmas light display and is beloved for its 100-year-old trees.
For three years construction work has crowded the already busy street, creating congestion for its 14,000 daily vehicle users.
On Wednesday, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to mark the project's completion.
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Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said Franklin Rd has been rebuilt from the underground up.
It now had wider, even footpaths, a new roundabout at the Wellington St intersection and new cycleways on both sides of the road.
Underground, the aged sewerage system had been replaced and new drain catch pits had been installed.
'Thanks to this upgrade, it's now a lot safer and more pleasant for everyone who walks, drives, bikes, lives, works and shops in the area,' Goff said.
The $21.9 million project was a joint collaboration between Auckland Transport, Watercare, Vector, Chorus and Auckland Stormwater.
Auckland Transport chief executive Shane Ellison said it was 'one of the most complex, challenging and bespoke projects' the organisation had worked on.