Rolleston’s SH1 revamp designs near completion

Monday, 16 December 2024

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi says “good progress” has been made on a major project to revamp SH1 around Rolleston and access to the town.

Designs for a major $125 million revamp of State Highway 1 around Rolleston are in their final stages, with work on track for construction to begin in 12 months.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi is a year into a project to improve access to the town, intended to ease traffic pressure as the number of vehicles on the highway reaches a near “tipping point”.

Selwyn is the fastest growing district in the country . About 24,000 vehicles use the Christchurch Southern Motorway, which abuts Rolleston, each day. If travel patterns continue that could jump to 33,000 in the next 20 years, the agency predicts.

NZTA is now buying land, applying for consents and finalising its designs for the project, with construction expected to start at the end of next year.

On Monday the agency released four videos of the final designs of a flyover from suburban Rolleston to its industrial area, the new Dunns Crossing Rd roundabout and subway, and safety improvements at intersections turning on and off the highway.

An NZTA spokesperson said “good progress” had been made on the project.

“Construction will begin first on the Dunns Crossing and Walkers Road intersection with State Highway 1.

“We are planning a two-lane roundabout with a cycle and pedestrian subway under the state highway.”

The current Dunns Crossing Rd will become a cul-de-sac as a new Dunns Crossing Rd is built to feed into the roundabout. Walkers Rd will be realigned to meet the roundabout slightly to the south.

An artist’s impression of the left turn out of Hoskyns Road onto its own lane on State Highway 1 in Selwyn.

Construction will then turn north about 3km to Rolleston Dr, where the bridge from the town to the industrial area will be built.

The bridge over the highway and railway will connect Rolleston Dr to Jones Rd, with travellers heading to Rolleston turning left off the highway.

Motorists heading to the industrial area will not be able to turn left onto Hoskyns Rd as it will be rebuilt as a single lane that allows traffic to turn onto the highway.

Drivers will also need to take an earlier exit at the Dunns Crossing Rd roundabout, or after the town at the Weedons Rd flyover off ramp.

Traffic signals will be placed at the intersections leading onto the flyover.

Drivers will only be able to turn left into and out of Tennyson St, Brookside Rd and Rolleston Dr south as barriers are erected between the highway’s north and southbound lanes.

Drivers will only be able to turn left into and out of Tennyson St, Brookside Rd and Rolleston Dr heading south due to safety barriers that will be erected between the highway’s north and southbound lanes.

“By drivers not crossing the state highway to turn right, it will make travelling through Rolleston both safer and more efficient,” the spokesperson said.