What’s happening at the Kāpiti Expressway?
Construction is well underway and on target for completion by mid-2017.
The expressway is not being built in one continuous line. Instead, many different activities are underway in different places along the route.
The best way to keep up to date with what’s happening and where is to sign up to our monthly Express Lane newsletter.
You can also visit our information centre at the Coastlands shopping centre in Paraparaumu.
Why do we need an expressway on the Kāpiti Coast?
State Highway 1 between MacKays Crossing and Peka Peka is the only route in Kāpiti for many local trips as well as for through-traffic heading to and from Wellington. It was never designed for such heavy use. As a result the road has a history of crashes, congestion and unreliable travel times.
State Highway 1 traffic will shift to the new expressway once it is completed. This will separate local traffic from vehicles heading to and through Kāpiti and make all trips safer, with more reliable journey times.
How does the project relate to other Wellington Northern Corridor projects?
The MacKays to Peka Peka Expressway is one of seven projects planned to upgrade the Wellington Northern Corridor between Wellington Airport and Levin. It is the first to start.
At its southern end, the new expressway will connect to Transmission Gully. In the north it will connect to the Peka Peka to Ōtaki section . Peka Peka to Otaki section. (can we link to respective project sites for more info please?)
How How was the route chosen?
Four route options were considered during the planning and consultation for the MacKays Crossing to Peka Peka section of the Wellington Northern Corridor.
An expressway that mostly followed the route protected by the Kāpiti District Council for a Western Link Road was preferred because it:
Had the least effects on local residents and properties
Avoided impacts on Waikanae and Paraparaumu town centres
It provided a completely new route, efficiently separating local and highway traffic and allowing the existing highway to be used as a local arterial road.
The Board of Inquiry Assessment of Environmental Effects covers this in more detail. It can be found here .here: http://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/MacKays-to-peka-peka-application/index.html
What’s in it for Kāpiti’s communities?
Kāpiti is one of New Zealand’s fastest growing areas. Its population is expected to grow by 65,000 in the next 20 years. The new expressway will support this growth by providing a safer and shorter route to and through Kāpiti for local residents, businesses and visitors.
With State Highway 1 traffic using the expressway, the town centres of Waikanae and Paraparaumu will become more people-friendly. A dedicated cycle facility along the length of the expressway will make cycling more attractive and safe. And 140 hectares of new native plantings and 9.5 hectares of new or restored wetlands will make the district more attractive for both people and nature.
Construction of the expressway is also boosting the local economy. The project offers job opportunities to local residents and procures locally whenever practicable.
Will traffic be able to use sections of the expressway as they are finished?
There is no plan to open sections of the expressway up for local use before it’s completed. However construction traffic will use the expressway to haul its own materials and equipment before it’s opened in an effort of keep heavy construction traffic off local roads.
Why are partial, not full, interchanges being built at Poplar Avenue and Peka Peka?
The decision to make Poplar Avenue and Peka Peka Road partial interchanges was made by the Board of Inquiry. In summary it was about the expressway operating as a regional rather than a local connection. The decision also recognised that the existing State Highway 1 will become safer and more reliable for local traffic once the expressway is open. Another consideration was around managing urban development.
The Board of Inquiry Assessment of Environmental Effects covers this in more detail. It can be found here .found here: http://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/MacKays-to-peka-peka-application/index.html
How will the partial interchanges work for local traffic?
At Peka Peka
Local roads will work much the same as they do now. The main difference is that local traffic will be able to use the partial interchange to go to and from the north (Ōtaki,(Otaki, for example). Also, there is a new link road that crosses over the expressway to connect the existing highway and Peka Peka Road. Local traffic will also use this road to access the northbound on-ramp of the expressway.
To go to or from the south (Waikanae for example), they will use the existing highway. Except that, once the expressway has opened, the highway will be a local road.
At Poplar Avenue
The partial interchange at Poplar Avenue will have south facing ramps. Therefore local traffic will use it to go south on the expressway and to leave the expressway when coming north.
As at Peka Peka, the local road network will stay much the same.
To use the expressway to go north, local traffic will drive via the existing highway to the Kāpiti Road interchange in Paraparaumu.
How are pedestrians and cyclists catered for?
Cyclists will be able to ride on the shoulders of the expressway. Their access will be via the on and off ramps at the interchanges.
However the safer route, especially for less experienced cyclists, will be a 3-metre wide shared walking and cycling path that will run the length of the expressway. In the north and in Queen Elizabeth Park in the south, horse riding will be possible next to the path.
The path will connect to the existing local network of shared cycle and walk ways. Also, there will be two bridges across the expressway for cyclists and walkers – one at Poplar Avenue and one behind Makaraini Street in Paraparaumu.
What about the people directly affected by construction?
The project’s consent conditions, set by the Board of Inquiry in response to people’s concerns, laid down very clear guidelines for managing noise and other impacts of the work. The conditions also require the project to measure and report those impacts.
Some of the ways we minimise disruption for nearby residents are:
Using best practice ‘soft engineering’ such using the smallest and quietest machines capable of doing the job
Using water trucks to dampen down the dust during dry weather
Putting up temporary noise walls where we are working close to houses
Monitoring and managing traffic flows
Most important is ensuring that people affected by construction know what’s happening, what’s coming up next and who to contact if they have any issues or concerns. Ways the project does this include community meetings, emails, newsletters, information centre at the Coastlands Mall and getting out and about in the community.
If you have any concerns please get in touch with the project at any time on 0508 M2PP INFO (0508 627 746) or email info@m2pp.co.nz
Where can I ask a question or give feedback to the project?
Again the best way is to use the project’s M2PP INFO number (0508 627 746) or email info@m2pp.co.nz