Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency will report on the feedback within the next three months before finalizing the business case and starting detailed design.
The first step in construction is a Dunns Crossing Rd/Walkers Rd roundabout in 2024 as it is to be commissioned so that traffic at this point can safely cross State Highway 1 before construction of the overpass begins.
Construction on the viaduct itself will begin in 2026 and will be completed in 2028.
The first consultation round in July and August last year yielded some 980 responses.
Waka Kotahi therefore went back to the drawing board and released the new flyover plan – this time with the bridge straight over State Highway 1 instead of skewed.
The more than 700 entries this time, received before the July 22 closing date, suggest residents have a lot to say about how Waka Kotahi can further improve its new plan.
While the new plan has appealed to many, including Selwyn Mayor Sam Broughton, it has also met opposition. This includes people from the neighboring Jones Rd businesses of Christchurch RV Center and Drummond and Etheridge.
Christchurch RV Center is facing a need to relocate due to customer access issues that will arise from the new road layout.
Drummond and Etheridge Rolleston facility manager Murray Chesterman said Waka Kotahi would most likely want to acquire land from the property, although this had not yet been finalized.
He did not support the new flyover plan because it had a number of design flaws, including the four-lane Jones Rd with bike path that made it difficult for motorists to enter and exit the company.