Kopu bridge ahead of plans

Construction of a two-lane roundabout near Thames linking the new Kopu bridge with State Highway 26 has started nine weeks earlier than planned.

The new four-leg roundabout will assist traffic flow between Thames and Paeroa and the bottleneck at the entrance to the Coromandel peninsula.

The early progress mirrors that of the Kopu bridge construction, which was brought forward last year as part of the Government's $500 million Jobs and Growth plan.

NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) project management services manager Bryce Carter said settlement targets were achieved earlier than planned, allowing construction of the roundabout to begin early.

"It is a very busy area, especially during the holiday period, so the roundabout is being built for two reasons – to make the right turns safer and the flow of traffic more efficient," he said.

"At this stage construction is happening off-site but we will eventually have to move it on-site which will certainly slow people down. But we don't expect any huge congestion as a result."

The Kopu bridge project includes the roundabout and 2.5 kilometres of approach roads either side of the bridge.

Workers have nearly finished compressing underlying soils on the roundabout site using an embankment of rock and will begin pavement construction soon. Mr Carter said completion of the roundabout was on track for early 2011.

Tony Stevens is a Wintec Journalism student.

- © Fairfax NZ News