The $65 million 'Gateway to New Brighton' project will see a brand-new bridge built, along with major upgrades to Pages Rd and improvements to surrounding streets.
The project was approved by a hearings panel on Thursday, with the recommendations now going to Christchurch City Council for final approval.
"It provides the lifeline link to the area.
"So we know if there was a tsunami or another event that it provides the key linkage for the eastern suburbs to get out of the area, so it is really vital that we get that work completed as soon as possible."
The current Page Rd bridge is almost 100-years-old and suffered significant damage in the earthquakes.
A report by city council staff warned if nothing was done, the bridge would continue to deteriorate and put the safety of thousands of residents at risk.
Public consultation resulted in the panel proposing a number of changes to the project’s initial design plan, such as including additional parking on Hawke St, Rawson St and Seaview Rd.
Other key upgrades include:
- A new T-intersection and traffic lights to replace the roundabout at Pages Rd, Hawke St and Seaview Rd.
- No vehicle access to the T-intersection from Owles Terrace and New Brighton Rd.
- A lane change on Pages Rd westbound from one to two lanes.
- Intersection modifications, kerb buildouts, pedestrian crossings and parking changes on surrounding streets.
- By Geoff Sloan, made with the support of NZ On Air
