Peka Peka to Ōtaki Expressway

The Peka Peka to Ōtaki Expressway will run for approximately 13 kilometres from Te Kowhai Road in the south, to Taylors Road, north of Ōtaki.

• At the southern end, the four-lane Expressway will run along the existing SH1. A replacement section of arterial road is to be built, predominantly through low-lying areas and sand dunes

• North of Te Hapua Road, the Expressway and new arterial road pass through sand dunes and curve east to avoid a culturally and ecologically significant area at Mary Crest, where the Expressway crosses from the west to the east of the rail line and the arterial road joins with the existing SH1

• North of Mary Crest, the Expressway runs adjacent to the rail line and the current SH1 until the Ōtaki River, across generally flat topography and properties primarily associated with agriculture or horticulture

• The Expressway crosses the Ōtaki River and runs across the floodplain, then passes through an urban area to the east of the Ōtaki Railway Retail area.  Here, the existing rail line will be realigned to run parallel to the Expressway

• The Expressway and realigned rail line pass under the existing SH1 as it exits the Ōtaki Railway Retail area to the north, where the rail line re-joins the current rail alignment

• The Expressway passes through a sand dune system immediately north of Ōtaki before it reduces to two lanes, crosses the Waitohu Stream, and traverses flat rural land at the northern end of the Project area.

Half-interchanges to the north and south of Ōtaki are incorporated into the proposed alignment. These provide full access from the Expressway to the Ōtaki Railway Retail area and vice versa.

• The following cross-corridor local connections will be built:

• at Te Horo, a local road bridge over the Expressway, rail line, and the existing SH1, connecting residences and businesses to the east and west of the transport corridor (a more northerly location was chosen because of preferences expressed by Te Horo residents during consultation) 

• just south of Ōtaki River, new local roads and bridges across the Expressway and rail line, connecting Ōtaki Gorge Road and Old Hautere Road with the existing SH1 to provide access to and from Ōtaki, and linking to the Expressway (heading south) 

• at Rahui Road in Ōtaki, a local road bridge across the Expressway and realigned rail line, linking the Ōtaki Railway Retail area with residential areas to the east 

• Specific provision for cyclists and pedestrians will be provided on all cross-corridor local connections

• An alignment at Mary Crest that avoids significant indigenous vegetation remnants and sites/areas of cultural significance

• An alignment at Te Horo that facilitates the benefits of the Mary Crest alignment, and enhances safety and urban design outcomes

The preferred route was chosen because:

• The Project will achieve significant safety improvements for users of transport networks, through:

• the separation of local traffic from State Highway traffic travelling through the Kāpiti district;

• improved road standards, due to the geometric design of the Expressway (including continuous median separation of north and south-bound traffic); and

• an enhanced traffic environment on the local road network (which will include the current SH1), with benefits for motorists, cyclists, and rail users due to:

• fewer vehicles using the current SH1

• the provision of grade-separated local road connections (i.e. bridges) across the Expressway and rail line

• the removal of five of the eight level crossings in the Project area

• The Project will promote economic development, including through:

• improvements in efficiency for freight movements and reduced travel times

• the reduction of traffic through the Ōtaki Railway Retail area, improving the amenity values of that area as a social, employment, retail, and transport centre

• increased economic activity and employment opportunities during the Project's four-year construction period

• The Project will enhance connections between communities in the Kāpiti district, through:

• the provision of the Expressway as an alternative route

• the continued availability of the existing SH1 as part of the local road network, with a safer, improved transport environment (as discussed above)

• The Project will result in reduced and more reliable travel times along key routes, and reduced traffic congestion.

• As part of the Wellington Northern Corridor Roads of National Significance (RoNS), the Project will improve access to Wellington's key facilities such as the port, international airport, hospital, and central business district (CBD).

• The Project is "lead infrastructure", in that it will meet the future needs of a growing population, as well as foster economic growth in the ways summarised above.

• The Project will improve route security and resilience of the road network in the event of a significant earthquake, road accidents, or other disruption, by providing a high-quality alternative route between Peka Peka and Ōtaki (including two bridges providing alternative crossings of the Ōtaki River).

• The Project has a high degree of alignment with key strategic planning instruments for the Kāpiti district, including the Greater Ōtaki Vision (GOV).

Following an intensive design phase, tenders for the construction opened in January 2016.  Fletcher Construction were selected as the successful tenderer, and were awarded the contract in November 2016.

Over the next few months, Fletcher will work with their construction partners as well as the Transport Agency, the Kāpiti Coast District Council and the Greater Wellington Regional Council to develop environmental management plans and a programme of work, before major construction begins in mid-2017.