Delay possible for Peka Peka to Ōtaki Expressway's opening

Sunday, 4 November 2018

Work on the rail overbridge is well underway.

The opening of Kāpiti's latest expressway could be delayed.

The Peka Peka to Ōtaki expressway was planned for completion in 2020 but the introduction of a shared path might push the end date back.

Work near Mary Crest on State Highway 1.

While the New Zealand Transport Agency [NZTA] say the current completion date is still 2020, it could be impacted by changes to the project.

Two weeks ago, project manager Glen Prince said the project was on track to be completed by 2021.

An aerial view shows work around the Rahui Rd area.

* River bed moved as bridge work ramps up

* Ōtaki Expressway gets the hush treatment**

The $330 million, four-lane expressway will bypass Ōtaki, with most of the construction work running inland to the east beside State Highway 1.

Once completed, the 13 kilometre route would join up with the $630m Kāpiti expressway which would, in turn, link to the $850m Transmission Gully.

When asked whether the project was running late and what caused the delay, an NZTA spokeswoman said the current completion date was 2020.

'As a result of introducing a shared path for walking, cycling and equestrian use there have been some significant increases in scope to the project which may impact the programme.

'We are still assessing the scope changes to determine what this means for the current completion date. '

Transmission Gully was still expected to be completed in 2020, she said.

'With design of the shared path now well progressed the PP2Ō team is gearing up for a big summer of construction and anticipate moving around 500,000 cubic metres of material over the coming season.'

Leading into summer, work continued on the project's nine bridges: all the piles on the southern side of the new Ōtaki River Bridge were completed and contractors had moved to the northern bank and abutment

This month, preloading works at Mary Crest and south of Te Hāpua Road would see layers of material placed on top of the existing ground surface to squeeze the water out of the peat below.

Once the required level of settlement is reached the top layers of preload material were removed and the road pavement applied.