Tram tracks will be laid across the Manchester Street/Lichfield Street intersection this month

Work will start on Tuesday 26 October and will be carried out in three phases with the aim of keeping at least one lane of Lichfield Street open at all times.

A traffic management plan for the works has been prepared, and clear signage will direct road users throughout construction.

The work has been brought forward to coincide with road closures currently in place on Manchester Street as a result of the 4 September earthquake, these closures have reduced traffic flows in this area..

Two sections of tram track will be laid – a curved rail running from High Street east into Lichfield Street and a straight section running diagonally across the intersection along High Street. The first phase of work will be laying the curved section of rail.

Council’s Project Management Unit Manager Christian Anderson says the decision to start the intersection work this month meant there would be less disruption to traffic.

“The road closure further north on Manchester Street has significantly reduced the amount of traffic using the intersection. It makes sense to do the work now and cause the least amount of disruption,” he says.

“We will work as quickly as possible to complete this work, and keep businesses and road users up-to-date with road information and progress reports.

“Tram work elsewhere in the city is now progressing well, after stopping for a time following the 4 September earthquake. Despite this pause, we are still on schedule to complete the work on stage one, as far as the Tuam Street/High Street corner, in time for Rugby World Cup 2011.”

Tram work is now being carried out in three areas of the Central City – Oxford Terrace, Poplar Street and High Street between Cashel Street and Lichfield Street.

The Christchurch City Council approved the extension of the Christchurch tram route on 30 June 2009 and included funding for the project in its Long Term Council Community Plan 2009-19. Tram tracks have already been laid in City Mall as part of the revitalisation of the Central City pedestrian precinct.