Upper Clutha Safety Improvements Programme

Work on a new roundabout at the intersection of Ballantyne Road and Riverbank Road in Wānaka will provide a safer environment for all road users in the area and enhance connectivity for active travel along a section of Ballantyne Road through to Wastebusters. The project also includes raised safety tables on all lanes leading into the roundabout and upgrades to stormwater management in the area.

What’s the latest?

Thursday 10 October 2024

Work’s nearly complete on the northern section of the new roundabout. Crews are busy carrying out final works on this side of the intersection, laying down asphalt, pouring concrete, and replacing sections of chipseal on Ballantyne Road near Wastebusters.

We expect this side of the intersection and the northern part of Riverbank Road to open on Friday 18 October.

Work will then shift to the other side of the future roundabout, requiring the closure of the southern section of Riverbank Road between Ballantyne Road and Orchard Road. We’ve provided more details on this closure and the works below.

Current closure: Northern section of Riverbank Road

Crews are busy carrying out final works on the northern side of the intersection, which includes laying down asphalt, pouring concrete, replacing sections of chipseal on Ballantyne Road and constructing pavement near Wastebusters.

We expect this side of the intersection and the northern part of Riverbank Road to open on Friday 18 October.

Future closure: Southern section of Riverbank Road (Friday 18 October – late November)

Starting on Friday 18 October, work begins on the southern section of the roundabout to finish the remaining entry points for the intersection.

Riverbank Road will be closed to vehicles between Ballantyne Road and Orchard Road through to approximate Wednesday 20 November. Resident access will be available from Orchard Road.

The rest of the intersection at Ballantyne Road and Riverbank Road remains open to one lane of traffic, and stop/go is operating in the area.

Click here for a map of this closure.

Night closures (late November)

We’ll need to close the intersection of Ballantyne Road and Riverbank Road for two nights once work on the southern section of the roundabout is complete, so crews can apply the final layer of asphalt to the entire intersection.

We’ll confirm a date for these closures closer to the time.

Completion date

We expect the new roundabout to be fully operational by late November 2024. This is later than initially planned, with delays to the project’s start date required to align timing and road closures with the nearby upgrade of the Mt Iron intersection, which subsequently resulted in a shutdown over winter.

Delivery of the project has also been delayed by extended wet weather in September.

Work to construct a new roundabout and pedestrian refuge crossing at the intersection of Capell Avenue and Domain Road in Hāwea is now complete.

We’d like to share a big thank you to everyone in the Hāwea community for your patience while we’ve worked to complete the new roundabout and pedestrian refuge island upgrade here.

Work to construct a roundabout at the intersection of Aubrey Road and Anderson Road was completed on Thursday 8 November 2023.

The new roundabout includes a slightly amended road layout, new raised courtesy crossings to provide safe spaces for people walking to cross, and a connection for the soon-to-be-completed shared pathway on Anderson Road.

Work is underway to install over 9,000 metres of new safety barriers on Wānaka-Mount Aspiring Road and Cardrona Valley Road, with additional signage, minor earthworks and roadside improvements, road markings, and a range of landscaping and native planting included in the project.

Find out more here.