Safety a number one priority on SH20 to 1
In the past Wiri Station Road in Manukau City has been the only link to SH20. Now a new 4.8km motorway will connect SH20 at its existing end at the Puhinui interchange to SH1 just south of Manukau City and will form the southern end of the Western Ring Route.
The new motorway link comprises two lanes in each direction, with provision for a third lane to be added to each side in the future. Within this span of motorway two grade-separated interchanges will be included, as well as motorway-to-motorway connections between SH20 and SH1 at Manukau City. The work also includes five motorway crossings over local roads and streams and the main North Island rail line.
Benefits of the Manukau Extension project include improved access to and from Auckland International Airport, more reliable commute times and considerable relief to local roads within the Manukau City centre area.
The $210 million project began in 2006 and is scheduled for completion in 2010 and is being constructed by by Leighton Works, a joint venture between Leighton Contractors and Downer EDI Works.
| SH20 -1 is an integral part of the Western Ring Route which, when completed in 2015, will allow traffic to completely bypass Auckland and the Harbour Bridge by linking the Southern Motorway (SH1) at Manukau City to the Southwestern Motorway (SH20), the Northwestern Motorway (SH16) and the Upper Harbour Motorway (SH18) before rejoining the Northern Motorway (SH1) at Constellation Drive. |
Hire barrier out in numbers
“With the size of this project, traffic management of the local roads, bridges and sections of motorway that still operate during the project is a big job. Leighton Works have hired a considerable number of our barriers to cordon off work zones for the protection of their staff, contractors and the public,” said David Russell, Hire Manager, CSP. “They currently have in use our TL1 and TL2 Plastic Water Filled Barriers, TL4 Steel Barrier, ABSORB 350™ Crash Cushions and our Pedestrian Barricades.”
“NZTA’s Code of Practice for Temporary Traffic Management (COPTTM) is very clear about what level of compliant barrier is required when taking into account traffic volumes and speeds,” said Jeff Roberts, Project Engineer –Traffic for Leighton Works. “Health & Safety is our number one priority, there are no shortcuts in temporary traffic management.”
| “This is a huge project and to provide the ‘lateral safety zone’, the area behind the barrier and in front of our workers, we have to use the correct Test Level barrier for that particular speed environment. CSP have been really great in that I can give David at CSP an order for barriers and crash cushions and within 24 hours it’s on site,” added Jeff. “Their service is first class.” |
“Leighton Works and Jeff Roberts need to be complimented on the level of safety set at all their sites,” added David Russell. “They certainly go the extra mile for the safety of their workers and the traveling public.”