Unison to commence final stage in Kennedy Road OHUG conversion
This strip of Kennedy Road will soon see a significant visual improvement with Unison set to commence the last stage of its long-running OHUG (conversion of overhead assets to underground) project.
Commuters travelling along Napier’s Kennedy Road will in a few months’ notice a significant visual improvement with Unison set to commence the last stage of its long-running OHUG (conversion of overhead assets to underground) project.
Following on from Stages One and Two – completed in 2015 and 2017 respectively – which saw assets undergrounded between Riverbend Road and the Napier-Hastings Expressway, Unison will begin Stage Three of the conversion at the end of November.
With a budget of $0.5M, Stage Three will extend down to Taradale Road and is targeted to be completed by the end of March 2019.
The Kennedy Road project was prioritised based on asset age, condition and the criticality of the existing infrastructure.
Unison General Manager Networks and Operations, Jaun Park alluded to the fact that the project came with numerous positive benefits.
"The project was marked a priority and actioned on the back of pole testing, which confirmed many poles along Kennedy Road were nearing the end of their economic life.
“Around 10,000 vehicles travel down this section of road each day, so undergrounding our assets not only reduces the visual impact, it considerably increases public safety all while improving the reliability of supply to a large number of our Napier customers,” said Mr Park.
Project Manager, Rodney Booth, is particularly pleased with the result of the first two stages.
“We had a number of compliments on the work we've done in Stages One and Two, and we look forward to finishing the project for the benefit of the community,” said Mr Booth.
Following on from Stages One and Two – completed in 2015 and 2017 respectively – which saw assets undergrounded between Riverbend Road and the Napier-Hastings Expressway, Unison will begin Stage Three of the conversion at the end of November.
With a budget of $0.5M, Stage Three will extend down to Taradale Road and is targeted to be completed by the end of March 2019.
The Kennedy Road project was prioritised based on asset age, condition and the criticality of the existing infrastructure.
Unison General Manager Networks and Operations, Jaun Park alluded to the fact that the project came with numerous positive benefits.
"The project was marked a priority and actioned on the back of pole testing, which confirmed many poles along Kennedy Road were nearing the end of their economic life.
“Around 10,000 vehicles travel down this section of road each day, so undergrounding our assets not only reduces the visual impact, it considerably increases public safety all while improving the reliability of supply to a large number of our Napier customers,” said Mr Park.
Project Manager, Rodney Booth, is particularly pleased with the result of the first two stages.
“We had a number of compliments on the work we've done in Stages One and Two, and we look forward to finishing the project for the benefit of the community,” said Mr Booth.