It's going to get worse before it gets better for motorists between Porirua and the Hutt Valley.
Photo: Supplied / Waka Kotahi
The Transport Agency (NZTA) starts work on Friday to widen lanes at the Pāuatahanui interchange to prevent the long-awaited Transmission Gully motorway clogging up as soon as it opens.
Originally scheduled to open last April 2020, NZTA is now on track to meet a new deadline of September 2021.
National maintenance and operations manager Neil Walker said with the Wellington region exceeding population growth projections, particularly in areas outside of the city, there were more vehicles on the road than what was forecast in 2010.
"Modelling shows traffic volumes will be much greater than originally forecast, so we are upgrading this key interchange to avoid congestion when the motorway opens," Walker said.
Photo: Supplied / Waka Kotahi
"Doing this work now will help avoid congestion on the ramps connecting to the Transmission Gully motorway and at the roundabouts on SH58."
The widening of the lanes will initially involve night works under stop-go traffic management, which will be followed by work during the day with a temporary speed limit of 30km/h.
An average of 20,000 vehicles per day are expected to use the interchange to travel to and from the Hutt Valley when Transmission Gully is completed.
"We're urging motorists to be aware that the layout on SH58 at Pāuatahanui will change during construction, and to take care at all times," Walker said.