New bypass project a step closer for Christchurch | Canterbury News | Local News in Canterbury

Construction on a new bypass at the central city end of Blenheim Rd in Christchurch is set to get under way in July. The bypass will run from Blenheim Rd to the corner of South Hagley Park at Moorhouse Ave.

The Christchurch City Council's plans were approved by the Environment Court in late November but the council has waited until now to announce the outcome to be sure there was no possibility of further litigation on the matter.

The court outcome has cleared the way for the project to proceed, project manager Ross Herrett says.

"We're very pleased," Herrett says.

"It's taken a while to sort out, but we'll get into final design and engineering and we're on track to start construction about July 2005 and complete the road by early 2007."

The council first decided to proceed with the project in December 2000. The designation, awarded in December 2002, drew a number of appeals which have now been withdrawn.

The council's forward budgets include about $11 million for the project. In February, Herrett will present a new set of costings and timetables to the council.

While some escalations are likely in construction costs, he says there are also some savings as a result of changes to the design.

The project when complete will remove a growing traffic bottleneck at the Blenheim Rd-Deans Ave roundabout, and provide a more direct route for traffic to Moorhouse Ave and the central city.

It is expected to create several other improvements for the city, including up to 250 new car parks for people visiting South Hagley Park, a reduction in traffic along Deans Ave between Moorhouse Ave and Riccarton Rd and a stronger cycling and pedestrian link along Blenheim Rd.