PRELIMINARY works have commenced on the upgrade of the Hastings River Drive and Boundary Street intersection in Port Macquarie.
The work forms part of the overall upgrade of Hastings River Drive between Park Street and Boundary Street and the intersection improvements co-incide with the upgrading of Port Macquarie Airport.
Traffic lights will be installed at the busy intersection as part of the current project and will be operational early next year.
Port Macquarie-Hastings Council’s infrastructure and asset management director Jeffery Sharp said work commenced recently on the installation of additional stormwater pipes and a gross pollutant trap in Boundary Street, which precedes the more significant pavement works.
The overall project is expected to take four months, weather permitting. The project budget is approximately $2.5 million and forms part of the adopted operational plan for 2013/14 including a carry-over portion from 2012/13.
Electronic message boards have been advising motorists of possible minor delays and will remain in place for the duration of the project.
Work will be stepped up during November to include the relocation of water, sewerage, electricity and telecommunications infrastructure and for actual roadworks.
Mr Sharp said the potential for delays would increase as the work progressed, with traffic control measures to include implementation of a 40km/h speed zone through the work site. To further limit inconvenience to motorists significant pavement works will be undertaken at night.
There will be no work carried out on the weekend of the 2013 NSW Touch Association State Cup (6-8 December) at Tuffins Lane.
Work is expected to be finished early next year with the traffic lights to be commissioned at the end of January.