Major transport project starts this year.
The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has signed a delivery contract with AECOM and Fletcher Construction to start the Melling Road of Regional Significance project, which includes a new grade-separated interchange and bridge over the Hutt River. The project aims to reduce congestion, improve safety, boost public transport and active transport, and drive economic growth in the Lower Hutt region.
Construction on the project will begin this year, with an expected completion date of 2031 for the Melling interchange and bridge construction. A new City Link Bridge connecting the relocated train station to the Hutt CBD is also part of the wider RiverLink programme. The project includes improvements to walking and cycling infrastructure and better access to public transport like buses and trains.
The NZTA has worked with AECOM and Fletcher Construction to bring costs down, finding approximately $200 million in savings. Cabinet agreed to provide additional Crown funding for the project, allowing it to proceed. The wider programme will include flood protection and city revitalisation, with an overall budget of approximately $1.5 billion.
The Melling Transport Improvements project is expected to have significant benefits for motorists, freight, and those travelling to, through, and from Lower Hutt once work is complete. Minister of Transport Chris Bishop says the project will be transformational for the city of Lower Hutt, providing much-needed certainty to residents, businesses, and the wider community.