Switching traffic onto the western bridge in June is expected to the next major development in the Welcome Bay underpass project.

The bridge beams went in a couple of weeks ago and contractors are now setting up to pour the deck, before it's paved and barriers are added, says project manager John McCarthy.

Traffic is expected to be moved onto the new bridge in June. Picture: Bruce Barnard.

'That western bridge should be in place by the end of May and then the new pedestrian bridge across there, that joins the current underpass tunnels, that's going in in June.”

Traffic is expected to be switched to the western bridge about mid-June. The actual date will be advertised closer to the day.

The Transpower pole in the middle of the roundabout will then be shifted and there will be a refocus of some of the services from the western to the eastern side of the roundabout before another temporary road is constructed on the eastern side of the roundabout.

'Then they will start excavating that out and putting the eastern bridge in,” says John. 'They will look to get that new traffic alignment. Traffic will come back on the western bridge and a little diversion kick on the eastern side, somewhere in September.”

In the Kaitemako valley, the big activity is trying to get the fill in place so it can be allowed to settle over the winter period.

The complication of finding asbestos on the bank of the stream near the scout hall meant that process went on longer than they thought it would, says John.

It's expected to all be in place by the end of May.

'The fill will now be built up on the stream relocation area so we can weight down where the culvert is going to be built through,” says John.

'Then we will come back after winter and cut that away and build the culvert.”

Public access across the site via a walkway behind the scout hall and a container bridge across the Kaitemako Stream is proving popular.

John says they have also received comments on the lack of discoloration of the stream during and after recent heavy rains.

'We were pretty happy about that. It's a pretty tough site because there's a lot of other water that ends up on that site that doesn't necessarily come from the construction site.”