By TANIA PHILLIPS
TWEED Heads South has moved a step closer to a long-awaited second interchange with the $16.9 million Kirkwood Road project reaching a major milestone this week.
When completed this first stage will provide motorists with alternative access to the Tweed Heads South business district, which will eventually become a significant east-west corridor.
The extension, a stage of the Lower Tweed Master Plan, will provide a third alternative for exiting the Pacific Highway, to gain access to Minjungbal Drive.
Project manager Jason Young said the first asphalt was due to go down on the exit ramp this week – although recent rains could cause some delays.
Mr Young said contractors SEE Civil had battled through some trying conditions to reach this significant position in the project.
“The area of construction required careful planning and a structured approach to ensure that all design, construction and contractual procedures were followed,” Mr Young said.
“The works have been impacted on by a number of very wet months which hindered completion of the adjacent structures.
“The contractor faced these challenges with a professional outlook and has continued to progress these works in a timely manner,” he said.
The final asphalt layers to take traffic will be completed at a later date and subject to soft soil performance, are anticipated to be completed in November this year.
The 80 km/h traffic restriction near the works on the Pacific Highway will remain in place until this time.
The overall project has been delayed due to unanticipated issues with soft soils and council and the contractors are waiting for soil to settle sufficiently in other sections of the project before proceeding.
For more information about the Kirkwood Road project, visit www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/RoadsTraffic/
KirkwoodRoad.aspx
