- By Simeon Brown, Member of Parliament for Pakuranga
Over the weekend, the final stretch of work to complete the Reeves Road Flyover began.
These are major works to construct the intersection that will connect the Flyover with Pakuranga Road and will come with inevitable disruption over the five weeks they’re scheduled to occur.
While these works will be disruptive, the end is in sight. The Flyover will open in one direction to traffic heading towards the South Eastern Highway on October 1, before fully opening in both directions on Labour Day, October 27.
The start date for this work was deliberately chosen by the Eastern Busway Alliance (EBA) to coincide with the school holidays, to get the most disruptive work done while there are lower traffic volumes in the area.
It’ll mean there are fewer lanes available on Pakuranga Road while construction takes place, with the total number of lanes reduced to four at times.
The project will utilise a tidal flow traffic management system, which you’ll have become accustomed to in recent months, and which adjusts the number of lanes heading in each direction depending on peak traffic.
For example, the first phase of work from September 20-30 will have three lanes heading towards Panmure and the South Eastern Highway in the morning, but only one lane for those travelling towards Howick.
This arrangement will then reverse during the evening peak, with three lanes heading towards Howick, and just one lane heading towards Panmure.
You can view detailed graphics of the exact lane layouts during each phase of construction at the Eastern Busway website, www.easternbusway.nz.
My office will continue to work closely with the Eastern Busway project team to ensure disruption is minimised as much as possible.
Once completed, the Flyover will make a significant difference to traffic flow in our area, unlocking congestion around the Pakuranga Plaza and separating traffic streams so it’s easier to get where you need to go.
Our community has been waiting for this project for a long time, with early iterations proposed decades ago, so it’s fantastic to see it so close to completion.
A huge thank you to the EBA and all those who have worked hard to get this project finished, ahead of schedule and under budget.
