Fulton Hogan’s Canterbury team has completed the Halswell Road upgrade six months ahead of schedule, delivering real value sooner for both the community and our client, NZTA.

Delivered as part of the SH75 Halswell Road Improvements Project, in collaboration with Aurecon, this government-funded investment supports one of the fastest-growing parts of Christchurch.

For the people of Halswell, Wigram and Aidanfield, it means a corridor that is now better equipped to support daily life – whether that is catching the bus, getting to work, walking to school, cycling locally or moving more easily across a key arterial route.

Delivering value for communities and clients

This project is about more than completing roadworks early. It is about bringing forward the public value of the investment.

By finishing ahead of programme, the community can access the benefits sooner:

• Improved bus travel times and reliability.
• Safer connections for people walking, cycling, scootering and driving.
• Greater capacity and resilience to support future growth.
• More travel choice across the corridor.

For a part of Christchurch that continues to grow quickly, those outcomes matter. They help people move more safely and efficiently, improve access to jobs and services, and make daily journeys easier and more reliable.

For clients, the value of this project is also in how it was delivered. Although the project was originally scheduled to run through to late 2026, the team achieved practical completion in April 2026 thanks to:

• Careful front-end planning and staging.
• Smart programming that kept critical work fronts open.
• Several multi-skilled crews working simultaneously across the project area.

That approach helped the team maintain momentum even when unexpected issues emerged, including utility clashes, site-wide pavement undercut and a higher-than-expected water table.

The result was not only an early finish, but efficient delivery in a complex live urban environment – reducing downtime, maintaining productivity and helping keep traffic and people moving throughout construction. The project also earned national recognition as a finalist at the 2026 CCNZ National Construction Excellence Awards.

Multi-skilled teams were used throughout the duration of the project to enhance progress and overall delivery.

Over 24 months, local subcontractors and suppliers played a significant role in delivery.

Value beyond the asset

The value of the project extends beyond the finished road corridor.

Over 24 months:

• The project team inducted 984 people from Canterbury onto site.
• Around 275,000 work hours were contributed.
• Local subcontractors and suppliers played a significant role in delivery.

That local footprint matters. It means investment in infrastructure also supported regional capability, local jobs and the wider Canterbury economy.

A major reason the project was successful was the team’s focus on keeping people informed and engaged throughout delivery. Over the course of the works:

• More than 7,000 works notices were delivered.
• Around 1,500 affected properties were kept informed.
• A dedicated Community engagement team interacted with locals daily.
• An onsite communications specialist supported the project for the first 18 months.
• Regular drop-in sessions and stakeholder meetings helped shape the approach.

That people-centred approach helped minimise frustration, respond quickly to concerns and strengthen trust with the community during a significant period of disruption.

The team’s strategic focus on keeping the community informed and engaged throughout delivery was a key part of the project’s success.

A stronger corridor for Christchurch

The completed upgrade has transformed Halswell Road between Dunbars Road and Curletts Road, with major improvements to safety, public transport, active travel connections and overall network performance.

Across the programme, the team delivered:

• 56,700m² of asphalt
• 4,700m of kerb and channel
• 2,900m of stormwater pipelines
• 1,350m of new watermain
• 132 new streetlights
• 52 signal poles
• 173 plants and trees for streetscape and environmental improvements.

Together, these improvements provide a safer, more efficient and more resilient corridor for everyone who uses it.

Completing Halswell Road six months early is a milestone. But the bigger story is the value now being felt sooner by the people and places that rely on it every day.

Sealing and paving crews used 56,700m² of asphalt.