Transmission Gully opening delayed due to Covid-19

Saturday, 18 September 2021

The opening date for Wellington’s Transmission Gully has been delayed due to Covid-19, with a new date yet to be confirmed.

Waka Kotahi NZTA confirmed on Saturday it is working with the Transmission Gully Public Private Partnership contractor, Wellington Gateway Partnership (WGP), and its subcontractor, CPB HEB Joint Venture, to confirm a new opening date for the motorway.

Costs for the project blew out from $850 million to $1.25 billion after missing the initially planned opening date of April 2020.

“WGP and CPB HEB have advised Waka Kotahi that the recent Covid-19 lockdown, alert level 3 restrictions, and supply chain constraints as a result of the extended lockdown in Auckland have impacted on their ability to meet the contractually agreed opening date of 27 September 2021,” Waka Kotahi general manager of transport services Brett Gliddon said.

**READ MORE:

* Transmission Gully mobile phone 'black spots' could pose risk for emergency services

* Contractor seeking $75 million in damages and losses over alleged Transmission Gully design errors

* Opening of Transmission Gully likely to be delayed, says transport minister

**

The 27-kilometre motorway will run between Porirua and Mackay’s Crossing.

It has faced hurdle after hurdle since construction began in 2015, with re-laid section, Covid-19, environmental breaches, and corporate conflicts all plaguing the project.

“Work has resumed on the project under the appropriate health and safety protocols since the move to alert level 3, then alert level 2, in Wellington. However, these new delays, on top of the risk that already existed around achieving the contractually agreed opening date, mean it is clear that the motorway will not be ready to open on September 27.

The partners are working together to understand the full impacts of the lockdown and restrictions on the project, and confirm a new opening date.

“We know that people are keen to see the road open as soon as possible, and everyone is working as fast as they can to get the road open to the public.”

As well as finishing works, there are other critical requirements which also need to be met by WGP and CPB HEB before the motorway can legally be opened for public use, including safety and asset quality assurance work, and compliance with environmental consent conditions.

During level 4 lockdown, workers on the project were given essential work permits to protect the state highway during alert level 4 lockdown and ensure security, safety and environmental protection.

Last month, Minister of Transport Michael Wood said it was likely the Covid-19 lockdown would affect the project’s completion date.

Earlier this week, it was revealed there are several ‘’black spots’’ on Transmission Gully with no radio or mobile coverage which could pose a risk for emergency services.

The black spots risk delays for emergency services as it makes contact difficult for call centres, both in terms of receiving 111 calls and communicating with patrol vehicles.

Waka Kotahi spokesperson Andrew Thackwray confirmed there were sections of the motorway without mobile phone coverage and the size and area of the black spots varied by mobile provider.

CPB Contractors is seeking $75 million in losses and damages it claims were caused by errors in engineering design, claiming the errors led it to incorrectly forecast the project cost and profits, resulting in losses and damages of $75.2m.