New Queenstown consortium to deliver infrastructure upgrades

Fulton Hogan is teaming up with Beca, Downer and WSP to deliver major transport developments in Queenstown, beginning before Christmas. The Alliance team is known as QR3 – the three ‘R’s being for Response, Recovery and Revitalisation. It’s officially The Wakatipu Transport Programme Alliance.

On behalf of the Queenstown Lakes District Council and Waka Kotahi, QR3 will upgrade Queenstown’s town centre (partially funded by the ‘Shovel Ready Fund’) and undertake the $90m New Upgrade Programme Package for better bus services and ‘active transport’ (pedestrian and cycling) between Queenstown’s centre and surrounds.

Pre-construction manager Grant Sime says he’s ‘in awe’ of the work done by the team, led by Project Director Edward Husband, in bringing the parties together in quick time. He says reducing car congestion in and out of Queenstown in favour of buses and ‘active transport’ will affect everyone.

“It’s about trying to get people to think differently – not just to drive into town and try and find a park but, instead, to enjoy the experience of the bus ride. This will be a mode shift for us, too, when you think about the number of Fulton Hogan utes travelling daily into Queenstown.”

Grant says the interaction with local retailers will be particularly important:  “The stakeholder management team has an absolutely key role in guiding retailers through a period with considerable change going on around them.”