The long-awaited widening of Rymal Road has reached a milestone, with the approval of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (EA).
The planned improvements are for the approximately five-kilometre section on the Hamilton Mountain stretch between Upper James Street and Dartnall Road.
Now that the EA has been completed and filed, the project is entering the detailed design stage. Details include widening the existing route by one lane in each direction, adding and improving infrastructure for bike lanes and upgrading stormwater management facilities.
The improvements are aimed to support the key east-west thoroughfare on Hamilton Mountain and is a critical link between the Airport Employment Growth District, Red Hill Business Park and points beyond.
“The Rymal Road Project is a major undertaking and will be one of the largest construction projects to be undertaken in the city over the next few years,” stated an update to council from Dipankar Sharma, director, engineering services, and acting engineering services public works.
The current estimated cost of the project is approximately $107 million.
This breaks down to $88 million for road reconstruction and storm improvements and $19 million for other subsurface infrastructure.
The next stage in the project is to complete a detailed design building on the preliminary design prepared for the EA.
Work is underway to prepare a terms of reference for a detailed design consultant. The design work and preparation of a tender for construction will be completed over the next two years.
“Following the completion of the detailed design and tender for construction, it is expected that construction will be phased over approximately four years due to the size and complexity of the project, and the need to co-ordinate with other major projects such as the Stone Church Feeder Main (watermain) project. Construction is currently planned to start in 2028 and be completed by 2031; however, staff are examining alternatives to accelerate these timelines,” said Sharma’s update document.
