Construction workers on two sections of State Highway 1 through the Dome Valley north of Warkworth are switching from night shifts to work during the day this week to take advantage of reduced traffic flows thanks to the latest COVID-19 lockdown.

Work on Stages 3 and 5 of the Dome Valley safety improvements project started late last year and include widening the existing road and construction of retaining walls to stabilise the roadside embankment on either side of the road summit.

“The crews usually work nights on this busy state highway to minimise disruption to freight connections and the travelling public, but we noticed during the alert level 3 lockdown earlier this month that daytime traffic numbers reduced considerably,” says Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency National Manager Infrastructure Delivery, Andrew Thackwray.

“Starting today, we can take advantage of there being less traffic and it will be a win-win situation. It should help us complete the work more quickly and that will reduce disruption for road users travelling through the Dome Valley.

“By switching to day shifts, our crews can work much more effectively and accelerate the work programme. Working during the day will also be a much safer working environment as currently they are working in an area close to overhead power lines.

“There will be temporary speed limits and stop/go traffic management while crews are working between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. They will monitor the traffic queues to ensure that delays are kept to a minimum. We thank motorists in advance for their patience and understanding and ask them to plan ahead and allow more time for their journey.”

17 people died and 45 were seriously injured in crashes on SH1 between Wellsford and Warkworth between 2006 and 2015.

The project involves installing improvements that will help in the short to medium term ahead of the completion of the Ara Tūhono Pūhoi to Wellsford project. Once completed, the second stage of the project (Warkworth to Wellsford) will travel west of the Dome Forest, completely separate to the existing SH1. The Dome Valley route will remain for local journeys, walking and cycling, and as an alternate route for traffic if the new road is closed for any reason.

This stretch of road is windy with poor visibility and steep slopes so AT are limited to the type of improvements they can use. In order to improve safety, they are:

• Putting in flexible median safety barriers to prevent head-on crashes and a wide centreline so there’s more space between oncoming vehicles.
• Making road shoulders wider throughout Dome Valley so it’s safer to pull over, and so there’s more room for people who cycle.
• Adding new right turn bays at L Phillips Road/Sheepworld and at the Top of the Dome rest area to make it safer to turn.
• Replacing the northbound and southbound passing lanes at the top of the Dome Valley with wide shoulders so slow vehicles have room to pull over.