Dowse to Petone Upgrade project update
After 18 months of construction the Dowse Interchange opened to traffic on the first Monday in March. NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Wellington Regional Director Dr Deborah Hume says the opening of the interchange represents two thirds of the SH2 Dowse to Petone Upgrade project now complete which is cause for celebration. ?The team are really proud of what they?ve achieved and it?s well deserved when you consider the amount of public support the project has. ?This support is largely due to the care and attention the team pays to traffic management ensuring people are not unfairly inconvenienced during construction,? says Dr Hume. There is still work to be done on the project, including at the newly opened interchange, but she says this isn?t dampening enthusiasm for the new route on, off and over the highway. When the new interchange opened the old Korokoro overbridge was closed, demolished and construction now focuses on work at Korokoro with a new overbridge connecting Korokoro and Hutt Road to open following a 12 week closure. The closure allows the team to remove the old bridge over the Hutt Railway line, dig out and lower the existing state highway and finish the new Korokoro overbridge to Hutt Road. NZTA advises that they are just about to implement the next stage at Korokoro with SH2 southbound traffic shifting onto its new, permanent route after Easter. At the same time there will also be changes to the entrance and exit for the Petone Station Park ?n? Ride car park. Dr Hume says that local residents will receive a letter with revised route details letting them know about the upcoming changes. The exact day of the change will be announced on radio traffic bulletins and by electronic signs. ?Once traffic is running on the permanent highway, SH2 southbound access from Korokoro will be via Dowse Interchange and access from SH2 southbound to Korokoro will be via Priests Avenue.? The project continues to be running to programme and budget with completion due in early 2010.
