Podcasts about transmission gully

The Government's taking a new approach to Public-Private Partnerships for infrastructure projects. There will be a reduced risk for private partners and guidance for agencies on how to lower the cost and time burden in the bidding process. Infrastructure New Zealand Chief Executive Nick Leggett was Mayor of Porirua, when a Public-Private Partnership was established to build Transmission Gully. He says it's good to see the Government embracing the model, alongside a method to compare PPPs for specific projects to other funding models. Leggett says it should be about finding the best funding model for value, not just prescribing PPPs for every project. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Road users say the projected five-month closure of a link road between Wellington and Porirua will mean longer commutes. Krystal Gibbens reports.

Just two years after opening, Wellington's Transmission Gully link road is being ripped up - and people online are asking why this wasn't sorted from the start. The road - which connects the communities of Whitby and Waitangirua to State Highway one - is set to close for five months while drinking water pipes are being laid, along with cabling for electricity network upgrades. Porirua City Council general manager infrastructure Mike Mendonça spoke with Corin Dann.

OPINION Here's a story you're not going to enjoy if you're one of the government employees who has just been made redundant. It surrounds Otaki MP Tim Costley. He's a known name in Kapiti, and owns a $1.4 million riverside home in Waikanae, two rental properties in Palmerston North and a flat in Wellington. It's the latter of those properties that's causing Tim a bit of a headache. It turns out Tim is claiming $36,400 a year from a Parliamentary housing allowance to rent his own apartment back to himself, despite his family home being just 58km away from the Beehive.  He lives in Waikanae, but even with Transmission Gully, a 40-minute drive is too much of a commute for him. Yes, it's entirely within the rules, but the rules are dumb. It's not a long drive, even after a very late night in Parliament (which doesn't happen that often). I'm sure he could suck it up. Parliament sits 90 days a year. He's clearly learned from his leader. Remember Christopher Luxon claimed $52,000 for his mortgage-free apartment in the city, even though as Prime Minister he was entitled to live at Premier House on Tinakori Rd? He chose not to live there because it wasn't quite up to his standards, but later U-turned on pocketing the allowance. But Costly Costley, well he's a first-term MP. He said like many MPs he owns an apartment in Wellington and taking the allowance is within the rules set by the speaker.   Costly Costley said it works out about the same as it does for MPs who stay at hotels. He believes the safest and most sustainable way for him to function as an MP is to stay in Wellington when the house is sitting. He says junior MPs like him are required to stay on the precinct until at least 10pm and are often there later when the house is in urgency, which is very rare I should add. He's required to be back at Parliament for early meetings at 7:30 and 8:30am, he says.  Come on Costley. How many people living in Waikanae have to commute every day? I agree that would be tough for those very few times that you're driving home at midnight, but surely you don't need a place at a cost of $36,400 a year?  What happened to MPs flatting with each other?  MPs are entitled to claim $36,400 if their main residence is outside the Wellington commuting area, but the rules don't specify a minimum distance. I say Waikanae is definitely within the minimum distance. The Inland Revenue defines a reasonable commuting distance as between 50 and 80 kilometres for each leg of a journey, or between 100 and 160 kilometres taking both legs into account.  That's a lot of travel, but its well above what Costley has to travel. The reality is he could very easily commute. And here's another kicker just to get you more frustrated, Costly Costley has also claimed nearly $15,000 in travel costs in just the last three months. This is a man who lives just up the road and is not a Minister. He should be spending $1000 a month, if that. Where is he going? Maybe this government needs to look at its own MPs when it comes to cost cutting. Don't get me started on that. I've always felt we have too many MPs. Tim Costly Costley wouldn't be costing us quite so much if he wasn't there. He's a backbencher without any portfolios. Perhaps he should start behaving like one.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's Capital Letter, NZ Herald Wellington Issues reporter Georgina Campbell updates Nick on her investigation into whether the Wellington City Council's deal to by Reading Cinemas land is really fiscally neutral to ratepayers. They also discuss a halt in some legal proceedings against those who built the Transmission Gully motorway. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Greater Wellington Regional Council is asking the Government for funding to stop pests reaching the capital and endangering native wildlife. The $1.25 billion Transmission Gully motorway north of Wellington opened last year making it quicker for motorists to reach the city. But it is also unintentionally providing an easier pathway for pests to move south. Nick James reports.

A landmark motorway once lauded for its green credentials is now racking up environmental black marks. Transmission Gully is being operated near Wellington by a consortium of financiers and contractors since it opened 18 months ago. Public-private partnerships, or PPPs, like this are known as a favoured way of the incoming government to pay for roads and infrastructure. But it is not clear who can be held accountable as investigations continue into the Gully's impact on streams, native fish and one of the country's most sensitive inlets. Phil Pennington spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Legal action has been launched over the $1.25 billion Transmission Gully motorway. The builder of the road is taking Waka Kotahi to court in relation to incomplete work. A pool, skatepark upgrades and the Wellington City Council's airport shares are on the chopping block in a proposal to cut costs. And police have now issued an arrest warrant for missing Otaki kayaker, Michaela Leger is facing drug-related charges. Georgina Campbell is NZ Herald's Wellington issues reporter.

The construction companies behind Transmission Gully are suing Waka Kotahi over the roading project, which remains unfinished. While the road is open, the project is still incomplete after missing multiple opening dates and has exceeded its initial $850 million budget.  Waka Kotahi claimed there's a clear disagreement about the outstanding work and standards that need to be met to complete the project- aligning with the contract. Infrastructure NZ CEO Nick Leggett says problems and miscommunications were present throughout all the stages of this project. "This is the lesson from Transmission Gully- we need to build more, we've got a massive $200 billion infrastructure deficit. We've got to be better at renewing the assets we've got." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A very simple headline grabbed me this morning: ‘We Need to get Better at Building Stuff'.  Man, do we ever!   It was the headline of an opinion piece by Josie Pagani in The Post about getting infrastructure moving in New Zealand. At the heart of her piece was a new report by Infrastructure New Zealand that looked at the quantifiable costs associated with around the timing, scope, and funding for New Zealand's infrastructure pipeline, and how a more certain pipeline might benefit the infrastructure sector.   So, they discovered that 13.5% and 26.5% savings could be achieved on infrastructure projects through streamlining delivery, which could see between $3.2 and $4.7 billion more a year being delivered.  Basically, if we get more organised, if we create long-term pipelines that see us, and commit to infrastructure developments that are not affected every three years when a new government comes in, if we get a better system in place for prioritizing what needs to be done, if we are more open to new ways of funding them, and we make it easier to get these projects consented, then maybe, just maybe, we might get better at building stuff. And who doesn't want to build stuff? We also want to fix stuff. Those potholes, for example!  It sounds a breeze, but we've really struggled to make infrastructure in New Zealand a bipartisan issue, which is a shame because it's something that we all benefit from. There was only so much longer we can talk about the crumbling pipes in Wellington, the poo currently flowing into the Hauraki Gulf, humming and aahing over light rail, closing the Auckland Harbour Bridge because the winds are up, closing railway lines for years for maintenance.   If you've been to Asia at any point over the last few decades, you will see nations with completely different approaches to infrastructure. I can remember being in Hong Kong as a teenager and the evening we arrived I looked out the hotel window and saw a road dug out with new pipes going in. The next morning, I looked out the window and all I saw was a new road. I thought I'd imagined the whole thing, and we've all got stories like this, haven't we?   And while we have different work conditions here and restrictions on when we can work and have to think about the neighbours, there is room for improvement. It shouldn't take 40 years to get the Waikato Expressway built, which is frustratingly being re-sealed in parts at the moment, or 70 years to get Transmission Gully built.   Councils do have 30-year infrastructure plans. They know what is required of them to deal with growing populations, just not how they're going to pay for them.   So there's no doubt that we need something along the lines of a 30 year pipeline plan so the whole country knows that we'll be ready to deal with the infrastructure that's going to be needed when we need it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National Party wants to change the balance when it comes road safety. If elected, National would return many state highways to 100 kilometres per hour from 80 and many local roads to 50. The Kapiti Expressway and Transmission Gully would be bumped up to 110 - as would the Puhoi to Warkworth motorway if it's safe to do that. Public Service Spokesperson Simeon Brown says speed limits around schools will remain low. "It makes sense to have a slower speed limit when children are present. We want to see those as variable speed limits- so 30 or 40 kilometres during pick-up or drop-off times." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It seems unlikely that Transmission Gully will get the green light for a speed boost anytime soon.  Waka Kotahi's looking at potentially raising the speed limit on the Mackays to Peka Peka, and Peka Peka to Ōtaki expressways to 110km/h.  Regional Relationships Director, Emma Speight told Mike Hosking Transmission Gully can't have the same treatment soon, due to outstanding work.  She says there's still work to do at on and off ramps, and at State Highway 59.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Detail weighs up the pros and cons of public private partnerships in big infrastructure projects.

In some respects, National's roading plan and its $24 billion price tag is not an election game changer because the state of the country is such that we have issues like crime and the cost of living that will determine votes. But what is uplifting about it is that at last we can see the end of the crazed ideology that has crippled our economy over the past six years. Yes, the weather has played into National's game plan. But the roading infrastructure, or lack of it, has been appallingly exposed this past year. Until it's gone, you don't realise just how important it was. Historically, infrastructure comes with a bit of a yawn because it's years away, it will almost certainly be delayed and voters tend to focus on the here and now. The Puhoi extension road just opened North of Auckland is also playing into National's hands. That is a game changer. It is a living, tangible example of how brilliant roads actually are. The Transmission Gully project has had a similar effect on people. You can't beat a faster, easier, more productive journey and only roads deliver that with the flexibility that people like. Also playing into National's hands is the Labour Government in a two-fold way. The first part is in their criticism of the cost and the second part is their record on spending. Labour are in no position to talk about infrastructure or spending. Ask them how much they have spent on light rail in Auckland and what they have to show for that. Ask them how much they have spent in Wellington on getting Wellington moving, which isn't moving at all. Billions have been wasted going exactly nowhere. It's a joke. As for where National get the money; well the aforementioned examples double here as well. There's $7 billion+ for Wellington and hundreds of millions for light rail. This Government has spent more than any Government, it's taxed more than any Government and there is no shortage of billions to be redirected. This is the Government of the $300,000 speed hump. Three of those are a million bucks! It's a treasure trove of money just waiting to be used for productive reasons, on economy growing ideas. For National, campaigning on things like infrastructure has never been easier, for a party that has an opponent with the record as bad as it is.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A pub has come to the rescue of Chocolate Fish Cafe, which has been forced to close for months after a suspicious fire at Shelly Bay seven weeks ago. Georgina has the latest, including an update on the asbestos removal after the fire. Also the human face of a strained health system. An 81-year-old woman on an operating wait list for the past year sat hungry and cold for two and a half hours expecting hernia surgery only to be told it was cancelled because the hospital was too busy. And the $1.25 billion Transmission Gully project remains unfinished, despite the motorway out of Wellington opening more than 15 months ago.

A suggestion the economics in ACT's latest transport policy won't stack up. The Party says it would fund roading infrastructure with toll roads and more public-private partnerships. Greater Auckland Director Matt Lowrie says today's cost of construction means there's no way tolls could pay it off. "Look at something like Transmission Gully- you'd probably be looking at a toll of around $20 per car, per trip to cover the cost of construction. That was before the cost increased by 50 percent." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I know if you are south of Auckland, you might not care. But yet again Friday and over the weekend we were reminded of the value of roads, new roads, good roads, and roads that add to the value of the country and economy. The Puhoi motorway extension was opened, ironically by the Prime Minister, who had the good grace to admit calling it the holiday highway had been a mistake. For years the Labour Party, well known road haters had stalled it, insulted it, cancelled it, and yet here they were cutting ribbons. There are questions around the future of infrastructure in this country. The New Zealand Initiative report last week very aptly pointed out, we have a massive backlog hundreds of billions of dollars worth of work and the summer storms haven't helped. It also said governments get too involved and the cost of the sticky beak ”start it, stop it” only adds to the cost. The light rail debacle in Auckland is all the proof you need. But every time a major bit of road is opened, whether it's the Waikato Expressway extension or Transmission Gully there is a mainstream fascination with it all. People get, and I think this is unique to infrastructure generally, but people get genuinely excited by roads. And as far as roads go, the Puhoi extension is magnificent. It's a great looking bit of road. It took too long, it cost more than it should, and its hold up at the end must be dangerously close to criminal. But it's open. And it will be used and used well, and that is the point, isn't it? It will materially improve the operation of this country. We will financially benefit from its presence. It will ultimately pay for itself, and more. Too much infrastructure is based on theory. Apparently, we need more buses, more bike lanes, and more trains. But the proof is people, rightly or wrongly, don't use them in a way that materially improves the country. But roads do. Having been on that road many hundreds of times, it was never a holiday highway. It was State Highway One and access to the north of the country. It was and is a vital link. And now it's gone from a second world goat track to a first world highway. That's what good infrastructure is. Tangible improvement on the way we conduct the business of the country. No one ever went to the opening of a bus lane. But roads we love, let's learn that lesson.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

First this morning, large infrastructure projects more often than not go over time and over budget - so is it time for a new approach to costing them? Auckland's City Rail Link has blown out by another billion dollars to $5.5 billion - from the original estimate of $3.3 billion. Forsyth Barr Stadium went up $36 million in the construction process, and the budget for Christchurch's Te Kaha stadium has soared by $150 million. Last year Transmission Gully's $850 million budget passed the $1.25 billion mark. What was meant to be a five-year project took almost eight. New Zealand isn't alone in experiencing cost overruns and delays on large infrastructure projects, however a report from the NZ Infrastructure Commission notes New Zealand projects inevitably end up costing more than comparable ones overseas. Meanwhile an Oxford University survey of 3,000 projects worldwide found less than 3% were on budget and on time. Kathryn speaks with Geoff Cooper, Te Waihanga - New Zealand Infrastructure Commission's general manager of strategy. Also, Nuno Gil, professor of New Infrastructure Development and Director of the Infrastructure Development Research Group at the Alliance Manchester Business School in the UK, currently spending time at the University of Sydney.

Waka Kotahi is warning Transmission Gully between Pauatahanui and Paekakariki will be closed for some time due to a fuel spill. A fuel tanker and another truck crashed before rush-hour this morning. Eight fire-tracks have been in attendance. Drivers heading in and out of Wellington are warned to expect lengthy delays, with heavy congestion on alternative routes. Kathryn speaks with Waka Kotaki regional manager for maintenance and operations, Mark Owen.

It's been a year since the long-awaited opening of Transmission Gully. Waka Kotahi says it's seen eight-point-four million journeys. The 27-kilometre route is about 10 minutes quicker, and coastal towns say they're less noisy, safer, and business is still strong. Kate Green has the story.

A big fix is coming for the new Transmission Gully motorway out of Wellington.  There have been reports of cell phone black spots on the road since it opened, which presented a risk for drivers and emergency services.  Now, four new cell towers are being installed to plug the gap.  John Proctor is the chief executive of Rural Connectivity Group, which is overseeing the project.  He spoke to Charlotte Cook.  

What can drivers expect from our roads as they set out to hotspots and hideaways around the motu this holiday period? The ribbon is being cut on the brand new thirteen kilometre four-lane stretch of State Highway One from Peka Peka to Otaki tomorrow. It's the second new road to open this year to smooth traffic flows north of the capital. Meanwhile roadworks have slowed traffic to single lanes recently north and southbound on Transmission Gully, after the brand new chip seal road surface was pot-holed by heavy rain. Meanwhile road works on State Highway 6 between Hira and the Rai Valley have been completed ahead of schedule. Kathryn speaks with Waka Kotahi Regional Manager Mark Owen for a driver's seat view of the state of our roads as the rubber hits the road for the festive season.

Transmission Gully resurfacing is causing disruption for businesses, in the lead-up to Christmas. After just eight months of being open, parts of the major highway are being resurfaced to prevent future damage, reducing stretches of the road to one lane. Kapiti Coast Chamber of Commerce co-chair Heather Hutchings told Heather du-Plessis Allan that businesses are going through enough stress at this time of year — and this just adds to it.  She says businesses are gearing up for a break after a long few years, but product still needs to be delivered between Wellington and Kapiti. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Plans are underway to slow motorists down, as Whaka Kotahi reveals the roads they've identified with unsafe speed limits. These include a lot of roads within the State Highway network outside of Auckland, with Transmission Gully and the Waikato expressway being exceptions. Glen Koorey, a senior transport engineer at Viastrada who was involved with the project, argued in defence of the lowered speed limits. "It's one of the most important things we need if we're going to get our road safety targets down. We've got a big roading network and we don't have the dollars to fix them all." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Protesters have been stopping traffic around the capital for the past two weeks blocking the Urban motorway and Transmission Gully as well as abseiling down onto the entrance of Victoria tunnel. The group responsible are Restore Passenger Rail, whose members have ties to Extinction Rebellion. They want the train network restored to pre-2000 levels. But what would this actually look like? Kate Green reports.

Protest action bought the southbound lane of Transmission Gully north of Wellington to a standstill this morning. Up to 20 people are understood to be involved in the climate protest. Police are responding, however motorists using the road should expect delays. Producer Michael Crop is among those stuck on the road. He spoke to Guyon Espiner.

Waka Kotahi is advising those affected by the wintery blast to be extra careful. In Wellington, listeners have been texting in saying there are snow flurries affecting Transmission Gully.. People in Christchurch are also reporting snow falling. Helen Harris is the National Journey Manager and says the snow down South has closed some important motorways. It's a sea of white through the streets of Dunedin where drivers are being asked to take care. Reporter Tim Brown spoke to Susie Ferguson.

Transmission Gully, the Christchurch stadium, the Waterview Tunnel, the Wellington Town Hall - why do big infrastructure projects take longer and cost more than we expect?

Climate activist group Tyre Extinguishers are well and truly making their mark in Wellington.What they do is go around deflating tyres and leaving a note saying they did that because their SUV is killing the planet, etc.A guy in Wellington found a note on his car, but didn't see any damage on the vehicle, drove to his home up Transmission Gully, got to around the Porirua offramp, and almost had a crash because at that point his tyre did start deflating.Police reckon something was stuck inside the tyre in order to stop it deflating fast, but rather do it slowly.Lawyer Steve Cullen joined Heather du Plessis-Allan.LISTEN ABOVE

Transmission Gully is proving a hit for a small coastal town.Paekakariki, north of Wellington, used to be a thoroughfare for State Highway 1, but that changed three weeks ago when the new motorway opened.Mauricio Torrealba owns the Fishermans Table restaurant in the town. He told Andrew Dickens they're getting more business now.“We did about 1800 people during the weekend just past. There's no burden for us. The Transmission Gully's not doing any harm for us at all.”LISTEN ABOVE

NZ beefing up security ties with Japan; Taranaki man didn't have a gun when police shot him; Russia tests new nuclear-capable missile; New coaching structure for Black Ferns after Moore resignation; Transmission Gully opening brings peace to coastal towns; Anzac Day parades and services called off due to Covid-19; Disability advocate outraged by Ministry of Health legal fees; Covid-19: Building costs major ingredient in inflation.

Towns north of Wellington that were once thoroughfares for State Highway 1 are now quiet seaside settlements. It's been just over three weeks since Transmission Gully opened - diverting traffic away from Pukerua Bay and Paekakariki. Business owners and residents are thrilled their towns have now become destinations - instead of stops along the way. Rosie Gordon reports.

Electric vehicle owners are being warned not to get caught short on Transmission Gully, because the steep road is catching motorists - and their battery life - by surprise. Some EV drivers are shocked by how much the recently-opened 27-kilometre highway drains their batteries and there are no charging stations en route. Emma Hatton reports.

Transmission Gully is open to the public, and there's already been a speeding ticket and a police car has found itself stuck. After a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday, vehicles were allowed to start journeying up and down the 27km motorway early this morning. But the new State Highway 1 has also left the old coastal route quiet. Our reporter Jake McKee and cameraman Angus Dreaver went to check things out.

The first commuter rubber has hit the new motorway fast-tracking the Capital with the Kapiti Coast. Transmission Gully opened its brand new 27kms of tarmac quietly to traffic at 2:45am this morning, giving the first experience of driving the steep Wainui Saddle, which at 8% is the same gradient as Ngauranga Gorge, only twice as long. This is the first glimpse of a valley, now a road, that has been hidden behind hills from its predecessor SH1, all but inaccessible other than to outdoor adventurers. Waka Kotahi says its taken a hundred years to build it, and is discouraging people from rushing out to give it a go. But, there was no stopping our Nine to Noon colleague Melanie Phipps, who's blue-toothed her phone and checks in with Kathryn Ryan from the Pauatahanui interchange.

The rubber is finally about to hit the road on the long awaited Transmission Gully motorway in Wellington. The project's been riddled with delays and Waka Kotahi put the hard word on the contractor a fortnight ago to have it open by the end of the month. That's tomorrow - when the road will open for the general public. Today, dignitaries and media hit the road for a look. Our reporter Jake McKee and cameraman Angus Dreaver were there.

On today's show, the boys discuss the opening of the new Transmission Gully road and what really are the most boring jobs...

Kia Ora! Today we catch up on NZ events and find out why a road opening is such big news. There's more My Little Pony play-thru, Haven's Diary, and MANY excellent call ins. Thanks to my Gems listening out there: James, Jason, Barry, Lieran, Ezequiel, KP and Joey. Extra thanks to my call ins from Brian of Have to Look that Up, BJ of Arcane Alienist, Karl of GMologist Presents, Pink Phantom, Joey of Hindsightless and Jason of Nerds RPG Variety Cast. Find me under @JulzfromNZ on Instagram, Facebook and @julzburgisser on Twitter as well! Aroha nui. Ka kite anō. Xx --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/jewelsfromnz/message

Wellingtonians are getting their first chance to drive Transmission Gully this morning after an official opening event yesterday. The road was originally scheduled to open two years ago, but faced a series of delays and cost blowouts. Waka Kotahi general manager of transport services Brett Gliddon spoke to Susie Ferguson.

Los Angeles has come to Wellywood.  That's how Wellington's Transmission Gully is being described, with the $1.25 billion motorway now officially open to motorists.  Newstalk ZB Mornings Wellington host Nick Mills has just driven on it and told Mike Hosking it's amazing.  He says it's next level and an absolute game-changer for the Kapiti Coast and heading out of town. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transmission Gully has officially opened today, after missing five deadlines in the last two years. A ribbon-cutting ceremony has just been held for the 27-kilometre stretch of highway from Wellington through Kapiti. Our reporter Jake McKee is one of the first to take a drive along Transmission Gully. He tells Kathryn how he found it.

After years of delays and cost blowouts, Wellington's Transmission Gully motorway will finally be opened to the public tomorrow. The Prime Minister and other dignitaries are holding ribbon cutting for the road this morning. Porirua Mayor Anita Baker is also heading to the opening event. She spoke to Corin Dann.

The America's Cup regatta goes to Barcelona, Transmission Gully is officially opened today but you'll not be able to drive on it until tomorrow, the police watchdog, the Independent Police Conduct Authority, admits it doesn't have the resources to do its job properly, and peace talks between Ukraine and Russia take place in Istanbul.

The long-awaited Transmission Gully motorway is finally ready to open to the public.  Very few people have been anticipating the opening more than Kelly Fox.  She runs the Traffic Updates Horowhenua Kāpiti Wellington facebook page where she has been providing updates on the road for the past three years.  She spoke to Corin Dann.  

The long-awaited Transmission Gully motorway is finally ready to open to the public. Reporter Jake McKee spoke to Susie Ferguson from the Paekakariki Interchange of the new road.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has officially opened Transmission Gully in a ribbon cutting ceremony on site this morning. The event marks a long awaited milestone for the new $1.25 billion motorway out of Wellington that has been bogged down with delays, construction defects and budget blowouts. Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has instructed the contractor to open the road by the end of March. The road will open to traffic tomorrow. It means the four-lane road will be open in time for the Easter break, school holidays, and the return of tourists to New Zealand. Ardern said Transmission Gully will transform the Wellington region, making it quicker and safer for people and goods to travel through the lower North Island. "This road represents the largest Government investment in New Zealand's infrastructure in a generation. "It is an example of modern infrastructure that features the highest safety measures, treads lightly through the environment and is future-proofed for generations to come." Transmission Gully. Photo / Mark Mitchell The road will make journeys up to 15 minutes shorter for about 25,000 vehicles a day. It will improve productivity with people spending less time in cars and more time at work and with family, Ardern said. The Transmission Gully link roads, connecting the Porirua suburbs of Whitby and Waitangirua to the new motorway, were blessed in a ceremony yesterday. The 27 kilometre motorway will open two years later than it was orginially expected to. After a "huge amount of work" on the project over the summer, Waka Kotahi has said it's now confident the road has reached a stage where it is safe for public use. Its current cost of $1.25 billion will almost certainly balloon even further when negotiations over the fallout from last year's Covid-19 Delta outbreak have concluded. Transmission Gully is being built through a public-private partnership (PPP), the Wellington Gateway Partnership (WGP), with CPB Contractors and HEB Construction subcontracted to carry out the design and construction. Infrastructure Minister Grant Robertson said the delay in getting the road open was because of National's "botched" PPP. "We have cleaned up their mess so commuters going in and out of Wellington will finally be able to use the alternative route." Robertson said the Government has asked the Infrastructure Commission Te Waihanga to revise New Zealand's PPP guidance to make sure any future partnerships don't encounter the same issues. Te Waihanga has already undertaken the first part of a review into Transmission Gully which found serious flaws at the planning stage of the project, undermining the successful completion of the motorway. A further review of the project will be undertaken now construction has been completed. "Wellingtonians deserve proper answers as to why this road took so long to be completed", Robertson said. Transport Minister Michael Wood said Transmission Gully is one of the most significant and complex new roading projects ever undertaken in New Zealand - but he undertsood the frustration over how long the road has taken. "This is an important piece of infrastructure it will be a a huge benefit to the Wellington region but everyone feels a bit of frustration over how long this has taken," he told MIke Hosking. He added the road was held up by a number of factors, including the Covid-19 pandemic and severe weather events. "Any reasonable person would expect would create some delays...There were particular factors related to PPP as well." The road is built over very challenging terrain and required "innovative environmental and construction techniques". "What was a series of steep valleys, criss-crossed with streams, and flanked by inaccessible hills, is now a state-of-the-art motorway that crosses gullies, passes over waterways and winds through...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After years of waiting, regional Wellington mayors are thrilled Transmission Gully will be ready to use in two weeks.  Mayor K Gurunathan of Kāpiti says the new highway stretching from Tawa to Paekakariki north of Wellington will give the region a much-needed boost - just in time for an influx of international visitors. He spoke to Corin Dann.

Wellingtonians, if the thought of battling the traffic has had you turning down Easter-weekend getaways in the past you might want to reconsider. The 27-kilometre highway known as Transmission Gully, is promising to open by the end of the month, in time for the long weekend. Waka Kotahi says there's not much more to do than simply cut the ribbon, but this is its sixth attempt to fix a date. Emma Hatton reports.

Construction crews working on Transmission Gully have unearthed a kitty litter of the most adorable kind. Seven wee kittens were found near a digger on the site yesterday and are now being cared for by the animal rescue group HUHA. HUHA founder Carolyn Press-Mackenzie tells Lisa Owen about the lucky find.

Transmission Gully, the new $1.25 billion motorway out of Wellington, will not be open by Christmas. Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency confirmed in a statement this morning the builder has run out of time to complete safety, quality assurance, and consent tasks for the road to open in time for the holidays. Mark Mitchell and Michael Wood joined Mike Hosking to discuss the week's politics news.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.