Contractors working on the upgrade of High Street are trying to make up for time lost during the COVID-19 lockdown and hope to have the most disruptive work finished in early December.

When work started on the High Street upgrade, Christchurch City Council and Fulton Hogan were working towards having the bulk of the work completed by Show Weekend.

However, the COVID-19 lockdown has pushed out the work schedule. Fulton Hogan now expect to have the work largely completed by the first weekend in December.

“They have worked hard to make up some of the time lost due to the lockdown and are making good progress,’’ says Christchurch City Council Acting Head of Transport Lynette Ellis.

“They have completed the work to replace the sewer and stormwater pipes and they are working on laying the new tram tracks linking High Street and Poplar Street and installing the new paving. Most of this work should be completed by Friday 3 December.

“Work on High Street will then be scaled back to allow businesses to make the most of the busy Christmas period,’’ Ms Ellis says.

“Fulton Hogan will then return in the new year to install the tram poles and overhead wires, and complete the upgrade of the area in front of the Cotters site. This work will happen with the road open, but there will still be some traffic management in place.

“When it is all complete High Street is going to look fantastic. It will be a much more attractive space for people to enjoy and it will be safer for both pedestrians and cyclists,’’ Ms Ellis says.

The work being done on High Street includes:

• Introducing a safer 10 km/h speed limit.
• Levelling the paving across the road and footpath between Lichfield Street and Tuam Street, with a new paving pattern incorporating a Ngāi Tahu design.
• Introducing short-stay parking for shoppers and deliveries – P60 spaces, loading zones, mobility parks, motorcycle parks, and cycle stands.
• Creating a safer cycling connection between Tuam Street and the central city.
• Simplifying the intersection at Tuam/High streets.
• Installing feature lighting and new street furniture.
• Introducing more trees, including new planted areas at the corner of High Street and Cashel Street, and around the Manchester Street, Lichfield Street and High Street intersection.
• Upgrading stormwater pipes along High Street.
• Replacing the sewer pipe in some places along High Street between Cashel Street and Manchester Street, and round into Lichfield Street.
• Installing a new tram stop near the Poplar Street and Tuam Street intersection.