Robins Road Upgrade – Parent Help enlisted

Work is underway this week on a roading project which will reconstruct the surface of Robins Road from the bridge (adjacent to the Mediterranean Market, to opposite Queenstown Primary School), Queenstown Lakes District Council roading manager Ian Marshall said.


Part of the $350,000 upgrade included major safety improvements to the turn from Robins Road into Hamilton Road to access Wakatipu High School and improved pedestrian safety along the same route.


“The project is expected to take three weeks and will be completed by Easter. A speedy construction method has been selected (foam bitumen) because of the sensitivity of this school zone, which will more than half the construction time,” Mr Marshall said.


It would mean that there would need to be single lane access at times.


“The contractor is very conscious of the need to try and cater for peak time school traffic and wherever possible school buses will be given priority but in addition to that we need some support from parents,” Mr Marshall said.


Flyers had been distributed to both schools asking parents, caregivers and students to help avoid creating traffic congestion during the project.


The flyer recommended the following:


Please drop off high school pupils on Gorge Road wherever possible (a temporary extended drop off zone will be created on Gorge Road).
Please encourage students to walk or ride to school wherever possible.
Please allow for contingency time in your morning (leave earlier).
Please park away from the schools and walk your child to school, avoiding Robins and Hamilton Roads (leave earlier).
Please car pool wherever possible.


“In the Lakes District February/March is the optimum period for undertaking road works and this work is much needed. The end result will be safer access and an improved carriageway for everyone,” Mr Marshall said.