Media statement | 11 August 2006

Funding approved for Church Rd-Avalon Dr four-laning

The Land Transport NZ Board has approved construction funding for the widening of State Highway 1 to four lanes north of Hamilton City, between Church Road and Avalon Drive.

The four-laning project involves a 1km stretch of SH1 and an upgrade of the Avalon Drive roundabout. The total project works involve:

• widening the road from two to four lanes between the Church Rd and Base Parade roundabouts
• widening the road from three to four lanes between the Base Parade and Avalon Dr roundabouts
• construction of shared pedestrian and cycle facilities
• upgrading the Avalon Dr/Wairere Dr/Te Rapa intersection and providing pedestrian crossings near this intersection.

The Church Rd to Avalon Dr project is part of the Hamilton Western Corridor strategy. The four-laning project is aimed at improving efficiency of this section of SH1 by reducing congestion currently caused by merge delays at single lane road sections between two lane roundabouts.

The amount of funding approved for the project will remain confidential until construction contracts have been awarded by Transit New Zealand. The project will be jointly funded by Hamilton City Council.

For further information:

Rosalie Orr
Midlands Partnerships Manager
Land Transport NZ
07 958 7859  or  0274 523 230