Major plumbing of Queenstown’s Ballarat St is about to begin.
As part of that the Whakatipu Transport Programme Alliance (Kā Huanui a Tāhuna), otherwise known as the "Alliance" is about to invade the street.
The next stage of the drawn-out arterial road project will involve a stormwater upgrade and construction of a new "outfall structure" into Horne Creek, by the Village Green.
The "Alliance," is delivering a range of capital projects on behalf of Queenstown Lakes District Council and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.
The first stage of the latest project is due to start on October 14 — and expected to be finished by December 20.
During that time, Alliance workers will replace about 90m of stormwater pipe along lower Ballarat St, between the Village Green and Stanley St, with an upgraded 900mm pipe — close to double the size of what is currently there.
Ultimately, that will connect to the underground service upgrades already constructed along the arterial road and down some of the CBD’s side streets, which will help reduce potential surface water on the arterial road.
The upgrade will also provide initial treatment of stormwater runoff before discharging it into Horne Creek and, ultimately, Lake Wakatipu.
The roadworks mean there will be one-lane access only into Ballarat St from Stanley St, though both lanes will be reopened for the Queenstown Marathon weekend — the marathon takes place on November 16.
The one-way section of Athol St to Ballarat St will also be closed to all traffic and bus stops will be relocated to Stanley St.
Once that work is finished, and the arterial road is open — now confirmed for January 28, 2025 — the Alliance will shut Stanley St to connect the piped stormwater network in upper and lower Ballarat St, meaning all traffic will have to use the arterial road.
That project is expected to run from February to April next year.
