Among the work sites is a gully near the Ashhurst end of the $620 million project.
Stuff was this week granted access to the area, where huge machines were scraping massive piles of soil down a steep gradient to fill the gully – “fill 9” as it’s known. It will transform into a sweeping upward curve heading towards the wind turbines and will be the steepest part of the new 11½ kilometre road.
DAVID UNWIN/Stuff
Waka Kotahi project spokesman Lonnie Dalzell says the Ashhurst rise work will take several years. “This bit of earthworks will be ongoing for the next three years,” said Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency project spokesman Lonnie Dalzell.
Major earthworks under way on Te Ahu a Turanga
16 Feb, 2021 11:51 PM
4 minutes to read
The rare Meterana grandiosa in its caterpillar stage.
Bush Telegraph
Pic: BTG161120LONNIE Caption: Lonnie Dalzell
By Lonnie Dalzell, Owner Interface Manager, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency
Kia ora readers!
It s been a busy start to the year, with our first construction season now in full swing.
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We ve started major earthworks at the western end of the highway alignment and continued progress on site access at both the eastern and western ends of the project area. We re also creating access facilities in readiness for construction of the project s two 300-metre bridges.
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