More Frankton trees for the chop
Work begins this Tuesday to chop down 44 trees and shrubs near Frankton bus station.
Kā Huanui a Tāhuna (Whakatipu Transport Programme Alliance) is removing the trees on the bus hub side of SH6 to make room for new stormwater pipes as part of the SH6 / 6A Frankton intersection and bus hub improvements.
It has already felled dozens of trees on the other side of the road, near the golf course. In all, some 124 trees will be removed as the Alliance - Waka Kotahi, Queenstown Lakes District Council, contractors and planners - work on the $250 million upgrade programme.
SH6 Kawarau Road will be closed from 10pm on Tuesday, 14 January, to 6am the next day, to fell the tallest trees. This will be done with an excavator and chainsaw.
"During the day for three weeks, the rest of the trees will be cut and mulched with a chipper within the fenced area," the Alliance work notice reads. "While trenching for the stormwater pipes is underway we’ll use Airvac trucks and diggers.
"Later, the tree removal will also enable us to start work on deep trenching for wastewater and underground power connections, road foundations, moving and extending the weigh pit and doubling the size of the bus hub."
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency media manager Frances Adank says help is on hand for a specific person potentially affected by the tree cutting, with support from local social services.
"The crews doing the tree work and fencing are also aware of the situation", she says.
Around 27,000 vehicles pass through the BP roundabout on an average day, according to NZTA figures, while an estimated 15,000 per day use the bus hub.
The new stormwater pipes range in diameter from 225 to 375mm, meaning they can provide capacity during heavy rain events and allow for future development in this area. The water will run into a new stormwater filter box on Ross Street.
