Wellington's long-delayed Transmission Gully motorway will open by the end of March
Thursday, 17 March 2022
Wellington's long-delayed, billion-dollar Transmission Gully motorway will be open by the end of the month.
The $1.25b project is 90 days overdue from its last promised opening and has missed five deadlines, prompting Waka Kotahi to take the “unusual” step of issuing a formal directive to contractor Wellington Gateway Partnership (WGP) to open the road by the end of March.
A specific date and time has not been given. Brett Gliddon, Waka Kotahi’s general manager transport services, said “nothing substantial” could prevent that deadline date.
The transport agency will defer a number of quality assurance tests required under the contract with the road builders, CPB HEB, because it believes the 27-kilometre road is now safe for public use.
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* Transmission Gully edges closer to opening as more safety tests ticked off
* Transmission Gully 'quality assurance' tests reduced to get road open sooner
**
Additional tests yet to be completed do not compromise public safety, and will be completed after the road is open. Incomplete tests include environmental measures.
Pavement and road surface tests are also outstanding but will be completed before Transmission Gully opens, as will a final overall safety check.
A final pre-opening safety inspection will need to be completed before the road can open, as well as other key safety requirements.
In a statement, Waka Kotahi board chairman Sir Brian Roche said the decision reflected the “pragmatic and considered” approach the agency had taken with the contracted parties.
Gliddon said complex negotiations continued with the parties contracted to build, manage and maintain the road. The agency had not been prepared to compromise on the road’s safety, he said.
“However, all of the critical safety assurance tests have now been completed to a standard that gives us confidence the road will be a safe, reliable route for motorists between Wellington and the rest of the North Island.”
Gliddon said the responsibility now rested with WGP to have the road open as soon as possible.
Under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) WGP is responsible for determining when the road can be opened.
It is understood the road builders will continue to pay fines each day until the road is opened, after missing their December deadline for completion.
Porirua mayor Anita Baker said she was delighted the road would be open this month, even though she can’t drive it herself owing to a hip replacement surgery.
The wait had been frustrating, not least for other roading projects around the district that can only progress once Transmission Gully is open.
“For instance, the pedestrian crossing at Pukerua Bay. These projects take about six months from the date Transmission Gully opens, so we’re excited to get them under way.”
Baker also allayed any fears around the environmental impact of the road, given some of those tasks wouldn’t be complete by opening day, saying she has had assurance there will be no impact on the harbour when the motorway opens to traffic.
Kāpiti Coast mayor K Gurunathan said the opening was wonderful news, although he was aware of previous opening dates coming and going.
“This isn’t the first time we’ve got excited about the prospect of the road opening, and it feels a bit like déjà vu, but I am confident this is the real deal and something we can be genuinely excited about.”
Transport Minister Michael Wood said the Government had sent clear directions it wanted Transmission Gully opened as soon as possible.
“The delays have been due to National’s botched Public-Private Partnership we inherited,” he said. “We are committed to learning the lessons from National’s mistakes to ensure taxpayers aren’t left with similar delays and messes like the one we have had to fix with this project.”
Simeon Brown, the National Party’s transport spokesperson, said the opening was good news for people in the region, but defended his party’s signing of the PPP.
He said several transport projects around New Zealand were facing significant delays, not least the light rail project in Auckland.
Asked if there should be a review of the Transmission Gully PPP and related problems, Brown said “it’s something which we’ll have to give some consideration to”.
“There’s a lot to learn from this once it’s open. It’s just great it’s finally being delivered.”
Ngāti Toa chief executive Helmut Modlik welcomed the opening of the road and said people have had to be exceedingly patient.
He had few concerns about the potential environmental impact of the road, with some consents yet to be complete.
“There can be no compromise in the slightest degree that those risks are covered off, and my expectation is that those will be covered off.”
Wellington mayor Andy Foster said it was welcome news after a frustratingly long wait “seeing the road so close yet so far”.