While the exact savings are still unclear, the Christchurch City Council says the road and adjacent cycleway in Heathcote are not expected to be closed while the work is carried out.
Council fights to bring down soaring rail upgrade costs
The project has been under scrutiny since early last year when KiwiRail faced protests and questions from then-Transport Minister Simeon Brown over a proposal to close part of the Heathcote Expressway because of safety concerns at the nearby level crossing.
At the time, KiwiRail told the city council about $7.2m would be needed in order to make the crossing safe.
However, the agency backed down from the closure proposal in January last year.
The final works, including commissioning the signals and gates, were expected to be completed by the end of 2026 but some may continue into 2027.
-Allied Media
