Two new roundabouts are key features of this project.
This project completes another building block in the Transport Agency’s programme to manage rapid traffic growth associated with commercial developments on the Frankton Flats near Queenstown Airport.
This $8.2 million project was jointly funded by the Queenstown Lakes District Council ($3.5m) and the Transport Agency ($3.4m), with commercial developers contributing $1.3m toward the cost of the Glenda Drive roundabout.
The project has improved safety at the Glenda Drive intersection, a high risk crash site, by replacing it with a roundabout further west on SH6. The roundabout also doubles as the start of a planned local arterial road connecting to existing and proposed developments on both sides of Queenstown International Airport.
A new 500 metre four-lane section of highway is another key feature of the project. Local roads and underground services with the capacity for the expected development in the area also form part of this integrated transport solution.
“It’s essential the road network in this area keeps pace with the growth that’s expected to continue for at least another 10 years,” says Senior Project Manager Phil Dowsett. “The safety of all road users – residents and visitors – is a top priority in all the road improvements made in the Queenstown area”.
“More work is planned to provide efficient and safe connections between the improvements we’ve made at Glenda Drive and the new two-lane Kawarau Falls Bridge that’s due to open in the third quarter of 2017”.
Phil says that what distinguished the Glenda Drive project from others was the collaborative multi-funding partnership involving the Transport Agency, Queenstown Lakes District Council and commercial developers.
“Good communication processes ensured everyone was fully informed and any issues addressed quickly. This teamed-up approach worked well to deliver a great result for both our stakeholders and customers”.