Four-year SH6 project gets moving

Keep the traffic flowing.

That's one of the main aims for the team behind Queenstown's now-$250 million State Highway 6 improvement project, which includes a full redesign of one of South Island's busiest junctions.

Some 44,000 vehicles use the BP roundabout on a peak day. Over the next four years, it will be replaced by a traffic lights-managed intersection, with all approaches extensively remodelled, and the nearby bus station revamped and expanded.

Construction manager Mark Townsley says traffic engineers have sequenced the work to ensure traffic can flow in all directions as much as possible throughout the project.

"We're going to move the main roundabout twice [during construction], but it's going to be the same size, with the same traffic lanes going in and out," he says.

"It won't make the traffic flow through the intersection any worse than it is today. Granted, that's not great, but we can't make it better in the temporary state, that comes at the end."

Townsley says the engineers have been using sensors to measure how long it takes for vehicles to pass through the junction.

"We'll continue to monitor that through the construction, so we can make any tweaks and adjustments needed."

Work began at 5am on Monday with the felling of trees on Frankton Golf Course, opposite the bus station, which, somewhat ironically, required SH6 to be closed for one hour between the BP roundabout and Lucas Place, near Queenstown Airport. The road was also due to be closed 5am-6am Tuesday.

And, this coming Monday, 15 April, SH6 between the roundabout and Joe O'Connell Drive, the Queenstown Events Centre turnoff, will also be closed 5am-6am. In all cases, the detour is through Remarkables Park, along Hawthorne Drive.

But, for the first 18 months of the project disruption should be minimal, as the majority of the work will take place off the highway.

As Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency remodels roads, this time as part of Kā Huanui a Tāhuna, the Whakatipu Transport Programme Alliance, it also updates and relocates utilities services - power, gas, fibre and water pipes. That's all included in the cost of the project, through central government funding.

This includes a 1.4metre-diametre water pipe, while further into the project the overhead power cables will be undergrounded (see timeline).

More time to plan this one

Kā Huanui a Tāhuna, which includes Waka Kotahi, Queenstown Lakes District Council, Beca, WSP, Downer New Zealand and Fulton Hogan, is also behind the calamitous Queenstown Arterial Road Project, which has cost $128m, some $40m over its original budget, with the overspend picked up by ratepayers.

Work on the 1km road began back in 2019. It was one of then-PM Jacinda Ardern's pandemic-inspired 'Shovel Ready' schemes, with Central Government pledging $50m towards the cost of the non-state highway road.

Townsley is confident the SH6 project, known officially as the Queenstown NZ Upgrade Programme, won't face the same issues.

"We've had more time to design and more time to plan," he says, "and that gives me greater confidence with the project construction timeframes and the construction budget.

"With the downtown project, it was right at the beginning [of the pandemic]. The Crown infrastructure money came in, to get things moving because tourism had died off. It was very rushed. That's the big difference between the two."

Minister doubles budget to $250m

Transport Minister Simeon Brown, in Frankton on Thursday to turn the first sod, confirmed the Government has upped the budget for the SH6 project from its original $113m to an eye-watering $250m.

Brown says the original programme was not properly costed by the previous Labour Government.

"Ultimately, the Government is committed to this project," Brown says. "We want to see it delivered. We know the significant benefits around efficiency and productivity of this critical roading connection need to happen.

"And so we made the call to keep this project moving. We've put more money into it but we've made it very clear as well, we expect it delivered on time and within budget."

The aim of the whole project is to improve traffic flow along SH6 and SH6A, between Frankton and Lake Hayes, in particular to provide better road conditions for buses and active travel.

The Government has already faced criticism for what was perceived as a car-focused draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, unveiled in early March.

"I totally reject that criticism. I mean, we have allocated up to $2.3 billion in the GPS for public transport services, up to $2.1bn for public transport infrastructure. We've actually got a proud record of delivering public transport infrastructure under previous National governments. So we'll continue to make those investments. This project has public transport benefits as part of it."

The project would address pinch points in Queenstown's road network and unlock housing along Ladies Mile, where 2,500 units are planned, he said. But there was no immediate plans to replace the Shotover bridge.

"The local council will put forward what they think [is] needed as part of their Regional Land Transport Plan, which will feed into the National Land Transport programme.

"We're not here to make calls on what particular projects should be in or out. Ultimately, that work we'll be done by the New Zealand Transport Agency board, assessing the needs across New Zealand."

Still, Queenstown's MP Joseph Mooney planned to drive the Minister around Queenstown on Thursday afternoon, to show him some potential projects.

Foundational project

NZTA Principal Transport Planner Tony Sizemore says it's always going to be a challenge for the network to meet the demands of Queenstown's growth.

"We're not able to keep ahead of it, we just have to try and manage it as best we can."

NZUP is a "foundational" project for a multi-modal approach to meeting that demand, including public transport and active travel - biking and walking.

Sizemore says with the traffic lights, the Wellington Traffic Operations Centre will be able to balance the flow of traffic, managing the fluctuation in demand in various directions, such as the morning and afternoon flow to skifields.

The Frankton timetable

Stage One - April 2024 to spring 2025

Tree felling on Frankton Golf Course, which began on Monday, followed by installation of a new 1.4m-diameter stormwater pipe, the relocation of gas, fibre and other utilities, and undergrounding of power lines near Gray and McBride Sts. The golf course entrance will be moved. There will be no active works on the state highway during daytime hours, so limited impact on traffic. Some 124 trees will be felled over the whole project, with natives replanted.

Stage Two - spring 2025 onwards

Construction moves onto the state highway. Excavation of the new state highway at the golf course corner begins. The existing BP roundabout will remain and continue to manage traffic. SH6 traffic will move closer to the Frankton Cemetery, so two lanes of traffic can continue during construction. Utilities replacement continues. Construction of the intersection at Joe O’Connell Drive (Queenstown Events Centre) will begin. Bus operations will continue as usual. Gray and McBride Street intersection roads and footpaths will be rebuilt.

Stage Three - winter 2026 to summer 2027

The new state highway at the golf course corner will be complete, and traffic will shift onto this. The BP roundabout will continue to manage all intersection traffic. Northern-side of SH6 (near Frankton Cemetery) and SH6A (Frankton Rd) are excavated and rebuilt. Construction starts on the new bus hub, which will occur in stages so operations can continue.

Stage Four - summer 2027 to spring 2028

Traffic shifts onto the northern side of both SH6 and SH6A. BP roundabout will be deconstructed and replaced with a temporary roundabout located near the Frankton Cemetery, so traffic flow is maintained. The southern side of SH6A is excavated and rebuilt. Bus hub work continues, with operations temporarily moved towards Ross St.

Stage Five - spring to winter 2028

The whole intersection, roads and bus hub are operational. New traffic islands and finishing works will occur overnight with traffic lights one of the last elements of the project to turn on.

Ladies Mile

Construction of the new roundabout at the turn-off from SH6 Ladies Mile to Howards Drive, towards Lake Hayes Estate, is expected to being during the latter stages of the Frankton project, so 2027 onwards. The roundabout will be similar to those at Stalker Road, Hawthorne Drive and Grant Road. All will eventually be controlled by traffic lights, along with various pedestrian crossings along the route. There will be five sets initially but numbering 18 when later phases are completed.