Waterview Connection Project – Well Connected Alliance

Celebrating the Waterview Connection Video Western Ring Route Overview Waterview Tunnel Overview

At the time the Waterview Connection Project was the biggest civil construction project in the country, linking highways 16 and 20 to complete Auckland's Western Ring Route in New Zealand.

RTL had seven separate signage contracts over the duration of the project including static road signs - both ground mounted and overhead gantry mounted - changeable prism signs, internal wayfinding and safety signs, VMS mounting poles and alternative route signage around the suburbs – it was a pretty epic project to be involved in!

Our responsibilities included design, manufacture and installation of signage. Some of the locations required bespoke designs and some clever thinking to make the required signs fit in the desired locations. We had to come up with designs to incorporate changeable prism signs within a 12m long static gantry mounted sign. Other tricky parts included a mounting structure for a sign on a bridge that would not inhibit pedestrians, signs to fit around LED VMS signs and custom fixings for signs mounted to barriers, walls and retaining structures. As well as some specialist sign face designs too of course!

There were a lot of challenges during the project and our team collaborated with the Well Connect Project team to come up with workable, affordable solutions that could be manufactured and installed within the required timeframes.

In his 25 years Jonny has seen significant changes to the industry and the technology used for signage, including electronic signs, what we call prism signs (signs with multiple messages that can be used interchangeably). he names the Waterview Tunnel as one of RTL's most significant projects and one of the greatest achievements in his career.

Definitely one for the RTL history books!