First sod turned on next stage of Kāpiti Expressway
20 July 2017
Transport Minister Simon Bridges has today turned the first sod for the $330 million Peka Peka to Ōtaki Expressway project, one of the Government’s Roads of National Significance.
The Expressway is part of the Wellington Northern Corridor and connects to the Mackays to Peka Peka Expressway, which Mr Bridges officially opened in February this year.
“This is an important project for the Kāpiti community and the wider Wellington Region, and will build on the benefits that the Mackays to Peka Peka Expressway is delivering,” Mr Bridges says.
“Once completed, the Peka Peka to Ōtaki Expressway will help to connect this region and provide a safe, efficient route for people and vehicles to travel in and out of the capital city.
“The new connection will improve journey times to Wellington’s port, the CBD, ferry terminals and Wellington hospital, benefiting both travellers and businesses in the region.
“After seeing the difference that the Mackays to Peka Peka Expressway has made since it opened earlier in the year, it’s great to have the next stage of the Northern Corridor officially get underway.
“The Peka Peka to Ōtaki Expressway will help to ease congestion on local roads by providing an alternate, more efficient route for traffic travelling through the region, increasing safety, promoting economic development and increasing route reliability,” Mr Bridges says.
Mr Bridges says the Peka Peka to Ōtaki Expressway makes up half of what locals are calling the ‘Kāpiti Expressway’, a four-lane grade separated road that will connect to the Transmission Gully motorway in the south.
“The community’s buy-in to this project has been fantastic,” Mr Bridges says. The NZ Transport Agency, working with the Kāpiti Coast District Council, has invited the public to help inform the design of a new shared path for cyclists and pedestrians that is part of the project,” Mr Bridges says.
“This will make the Expressway not just a road for cars and freight, but a vital part of an integrated transport system for the region that facilitates local trips and provides more transport choices.”
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