A construction project to upgrade and widen a section of Malaghans Rd will begin next week, Queenstown Lakes District Council project manager Steve Hewland says.
The work on an 850m section of the road, from Middlerigg Lane to the entrance of Remarkables Vets, would consist of earthworks for carriageway widening; pavement widening, stabilisation and sealing; the relocation of existing power poles; a minor realignment to provide a safer driving environment; the clearing and upgrading of the existing stormwater system; and tree trimming to allow earthworks and improve visibility.
Mr Hewland said the work, estimated to cost $900,000, was programmed to start on Monday and finish by May 4.
The project would be managed by MWH New Zealand Ltd with Steve Rout Contracting as the main contractor.
Malaghans Rd would remain open throughout the works, although some minor delays might be encountered, he said. Access to private driveways would be maintained at all times, although some restrictions might be necessary.
Several road upgrades were either under way or about to begin in the district.
Work on Gorge Rd and Lake Esplanade would continue, and upgrades on the Glenorchy-Queenstown Rd were scheduled to begin soon.
Work on the Crown Range, which had caused occasional delays to motorists of about 10 minutes, was expected to finish at the end of next month.
"We realise that there is a lot of work going on at the moment but it's important to remember that we only have a certain time frame to get vital road upgrades finished before winter hits," Mr Hewland said.
"We'd like to thank motorists for their continued co-operation and remind them to keep their speed down and respect the traffic controls in place when driving through the areas being upgraded."
