Travel delays during Waimakariri Bridge work

Work to resurface the southbound lanes of the Waimakariri Bridge gets under way on Saturday, prompting the closure of the Tram Road on-ramp during morning peak hours and causing delays.

The work is part of the final stages of the Christchurch Northern Corridor motorway project.

The Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is warning motorists that there will be “significant delays” during the morning peak hours from Monday, 31 August until late September.

Transport Agency Portfolio Delivery Manager Colin MacKay says the Tram Road on-ramp will be closed between 5.30am and 9.30am on weekdays from Monday.

He says that traffic will move to the middle lanes during the resurfacing of the southbound, and later northbound, lanes.

“Resurfacing work will start on the existing southbound lanes, affecting the morning flows, followed by the northbound lanes,” Mr MacKay says.

“With traffic moving over to the middle of the bridge and merging back, movements will be much slower than usual.

“Especially during the morning peak, Tram Road users should also expect delays at the Tram Road and Main North Road intersection as we will be using Stop/Go controls,” he says.

Traffic on State Highway 1 will also be slow just north of, and over, the bridge where traffic merges.

“We would advise people to travel outside peak hours in September if they are able to do so or leave earlier than they normally would,” Mr MacKay says.

“Depending on the amount of preparation work on the old deck and favourable weather conditions, we expect each side to take around four weeks to complete,” he says.

“Once the bridge lanes are complete, the surfacing crews will move to the State Highway 1 lanes north and south of the Waimakariri Bridge.”