Major works underway on Crown Range Road

The public should anticipate delays when travelling the Crown Range Road as contractors gear up to deliver a total of $7.5 million in rehabilitation, realignment and safety upgrades on the alpine highway, beginning Monday.


“If the prospect of short delays is a problem then people do have an alternative route via the Kawarau Gorge,” Queenstown Lakes District Council roading manager Ian Marshall said.


The extensive works were scheduled to take place between the zig zag and the Cardrona Township over a period of almost 12 months and would include:

The safety upgrade of the zig zag - including guardrail installation and widening of the road between state highway 6 and the lookout at the top of the zig zag ($2.5 million, completion, beginning June).
Rehabilitation and realignment of the road between the top of the zig zag and Eastbourne gates - to be completed in two stages this summer and next summer ($3.5 million. completion February 2009)
Foam bitumen rehabilitation of four sites totaling 2.5km between Cardrona Township and the summit. ($1.5 million, completion April).
“Given the potential for five minute delays over several sections of the road, in some cases people may prefer to spend an extra few minutes taking the alternate route and avoid any delay,” Mr Marshall said.

However he emphasized that single lane access would be maintained on the Crown Range and contractors had undertaken to work hard to minimise delays. It would be business as usual for Cardrona commercial operators.

“Work will be put on hold and the road restored to two lanes during the Easter period particularly given the heavy traffic expected for the Wanaka Warbirds and Race to the Sky,” Mr Marshall said.

Nor would work disrupt the ski season, with temperature and conditions precluding anything other than minor works in the winter months.

“There will be inconvenience for residents and the public in general but the end result will be a major improvement, particularly in terms of safety and improved driving conditions,” Mr Marshall said.