Cromwell’s two new roundabouts currently under construction, will not be completed for another eight months.

Work was, however, considered to be on schedule and both roundabouts would be made operational in a temporary state by the end of May, after which work would stop for winter, a WakaKotahi NZ Transport Agency spokesperson said yesterday.

“The roundabouts are on schedule for full opening in December 2022. This includes the construction of the roundabouts, footpaths, underpass, and the associated landscaping.”

The agency say the pedestrian and cycle underpass being funded by the developers of Wooing Tree subdivision would go from there under state highway 8B to a new footpath and cycleway near the Big Fruit carpark.

“A new footpath and cycleway will be constructed that will go from the new underpass alongside the Murray Terrace carpark (near the Big Fruit), to Murray Terrace. A footpath and cycleway will also be constructed to connect the underpass to Barry Avenue.

The Cromwell side of the underpass will be grassed to tie into the existing grassed area, the underpass landscaping on the Wooing Tree side will be undertaken by the developer.”

The Cromwell Community Board last month asked to view the footpath plan, before consenting to the area being fenced off for construction.

All go for temporary opening, Cromwell's Barry Ave roundabout won't fully open until December

Signs going walkabout

Waka Kotahi said there had been no accidents within the extensive site of the works despite safety signage worth thousands of dollars being stolen.

They described the thefts as “extremely unhelpful” and say one of the electronic signs that was stolen had a value of around $8,500.

The SH6/SH8B roundabout beside Nichols Garden Centre was originally expected to cost $8M and be completed in early 2022. The revised cost was closer to $5M with Fulton Hogan Ltd awarded the $3.3M construction contract in July last year.

The SH8B-Barry Ave roundabout and underpass were originally estimated at $7M but revised to $4.4M.