Millions of taxpayers dollars was recently announced for investment in Queenstown’s roading and active transport and, while the Upper Clutha wasn’t mentioned in the announcement, the New Zealand Transport Authority (NZTA) is funding some local roading projects. 

The 2021-24 National Land Transport Programme has budgeted $90M for transport improvements in Queenstown, including the start of the new arterial road and streetscapes, but further funding has also been allocated to complete Wānaka’s Ballantyne Road upgrade; to partially fund a roundabout at the intersection of Golf Course Road and Ballantyne Road; and a construction funding application has been made for a roundabout at the intersection of State Highways 6 and 84.

NZTA senior project manager Simon Underwood said the detailed design of a major roundabout beside Mt Iron (the intersection of the Wānaka-Luggate (SH84) and Hāwea-West Coast (SH6) highways) was now complete and an application for construction funding was planned for January/February 2022.

NZTA has also confirmed $400,000 to develop a roundabout at the intersection of Golf Course and Ballantyne Roads.

A new left-turn slip lane at the Golf Course and Ballantyne roads intersection is planned.

Concept design options were discussed with the Wānaka Community Board last year and now NZTA funding has been confirmed the council will create a preferred design option before starting detailed design, Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) spokesperson Sam White said.

Three Parks developer Allan Dippie is in talks with the QLDC to initiate “a major upgrade” at this controversial intersection, including a new road into Three Parks off this proposed roundabout.

“We have a tract of land adjacent to the golf course for this alignment,” Allan said, indicating a new proposed cycleway would also follow a similar route to the new road, thereby providing the most direct route between the town centre and Three Parks.

While planning is underway for the roundabout, council has initiated a short-term project designed to alleviate congestion and improve safety at the intersection.

The $6.89M upgrade to Ballantyne Road is expected to be complete by the end of October.

The project will widen the intersection and install a left-turn slip-lane off Golf Course Road. Construction will begin as soon as is practical after a contractor has been appointed, Sam said. 

“This will improve the flow of traffic turning from Golf Course Road onto Ballantyne Road (towards the police station)....”

A small portion of the $400k budget will be spent on the slip-lane with 90 per cent of the budget being retained for this intersection’s future roundabout development and pedestrian/cycle crossing improvements, he said. 

At the other end of Ballantyne Road, work has resumed on the major upgrade of the road from SH6 (near the airport) almost to the Cardrona Bridge.

Work began last year on the 4km safety project to widen and permanently seal the road, rework the road’s natural undulations, improve drainage and relocate some power poles away from the road’s edge. 

The project was meant to finish in April this year but delays meant roadworks were only completed to the intersection with Morris Road before work was paused over winter (it’s not ideal to seal roads during winter). 

The project resumed this month with NZTA approving an increase in budget from the original $6.41M to $6.89M, Sam said.

Remaining work, which is expected to be finished by the end of October, includes aggregate being spread, compacted and graded to form the base course for the road prior to sealing, and also kerbing and drainage works, he said. 

Until then, Ballantyne Road, from SH6 to Morris Road, will remain closed to through traffic between 6:00am-7:00pm Monday to Saturday (open only to residents and essential services) with a detour via Morris Road. 

PHOTOS: Wānaka App