Contractors hired by WEL are busy installing underground cables along State Highway 23 from just west of Waitetuna Valley Road through to Cogswell Road. In the main, directional underground drilling is being used to minmise damage to the road and verge. This portion of extra high voltage power line will be undergrounded as will the portion of the route through the village of Karakariki. In addition to building the new transmission route, maintenance and upgrading work will take place on existing poles from Cogswell Road through to the Whatawhata Substation. These old power lines will be replaced following construction of the new transmission route.
Travelers over the divy along State Highway 23 need to allow extra time at the moment as in addition to the WEL project there are several roading improvement projects underway. Most of these works have restricted speed zones in place