NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is welcoming the start of a significant transport project on Halswell Road, Christchurch, part of SH75.

The construction contract, which will take around two-and-a-half years to complete, was recently awarded to Fulton Hogan by NZTA. The overall project is valued at around $60 million. 

“Christchurch’s south-west has been expanding fast with new subdivisions at Wigram, Aidanfield and around Halswell itself,” says NZTA’s South Island Regional Manager System Design Richard Osborne. “The recent announcements of developments coming in Lincoln and Selwyn District make this work all the more urgent to ensure commuters get where they need to go quickly and safely.

“The upgrades to 2.6 km of Halswell Road will make this stretch of road fit and safer for the growing number of vehicles and people using it. This project integrates with the bus priority measures being delivered by Christchurch City Council on the local road network. 

New bus lanes will increase reliability and improve bus trip times, making it a viable, reliable choice for many people. 

With many schools, retirement villages, commercial developments and Ngā Puna Wai sports hub off Halswell Road, the project is well timed, says Mr Osborne.

Work gets underway in May.