Yesterday Queenstown Lakes Mayor Jim Boult and his wife, Karen, were the first to drive the 2km section of the Wakatipu’s newest road, linking Remarkables Park to Glenda Dr around the back of Queenstown Airport, taking the trip in style in a red 1960 Jaguar.
The first sod was turned on November 3 last year with some "big commitments" made to get part of it open by this winter.
Those commitments had been met on time and on budget and the remainder of the road would be completed by Christmas, Mr Fulton said.
Immediately after, Queenstown Airport opened its park and ride facility on the Frankton Flats. A shuttle and trailer was to have been the second vehicle on the road, but that was overtaken by a taxi as guests at the opening were boarding the vehicle.
In conjunction with the opening of the park and ride, NZTA is banning vehicles from parking along SH6 between the BP roundabout and the new Kawarau Falls bridge. The NZTA is in the final stages of improvements to the BP roundabout, which has seen the creation of a slip lane for vehicles turning left to head to Queenstown from State Highway 6.
"We know this [roading work] is critically important ... we need to just keep looking at alternative solutions," NZ Transport Agency southern regional director Jim Harland said.
"This is a vibrant community. It’s got Auckland city congestion problems, with a low ratepayer base."
