Contractor appointed for Lincoln Road upgrade
Christchurch City Council Newsline: 19th May 2026
Isaac Construction has been appointed as the contractor to complete a major upgrade to Lincoln Road.
Work will start in June on Lincoln Road between Wrights Road and Annex Road, installing new peak hour bus lanes and upgrades to water and wastewater services. Wastewater works will also be completed between Annex Road and Curletts Road.
The project is expected to be completed mid-2027, combining transport and water improvements into one programme to reduce disruption and enable work to be completed as fast as possible.
General Manager City Infrastructure Brent Smith says the appointment of Isaac Construction allows the project to move into the next phase.
“We’re investing in infrastructure that supports a growing and resilient community. Appointing Isaac Construction means we can move into construction on these essential upgrades to our water, wastewater and transport services that people rely on every day.”
Work includes:
- Replacing wastewater mains and property connections between Wrights Road and Curletts Road and on a section of Sylvan Street and Domain Terrace.
- Replacing water submains and installing water meters on Lincoln Road’s southeast side (Lyttelton Street – Hoon Hay Road) and replacing watermains at intersections with Domain Terrace and Sylvan Street.
- Road replacement and widening.
- Installing peak hour bus lanes in both directions between Annex Road and Wrights Road
- Installing bus shelters and benches in new and current locations.
- Installing a central median with landscaping.
- Restricting right turns in and out of most side roads and properties on Lincoln Road (between Annex and Wrights Road).
- Upgrading street lighting.
- New fibre connections.
- Undergrounding power services – this work will be carried out by Orion to properties between Torrens Road and Annex Road.
“We’re aware that there will be a lot of work happening over several months,” says Mr Smith.
“Now that we’ve got a contractor on board, detailed planning is underway to manage traffic impacts during construction. We’re working closely with Isaac Construction to minimise disruption and ensure people can continue to get around safely while this work is delivered,” says Mr Smith.
The installation of peak hour bus lanes is part of the Passenger Transport Improvements project, which will eventually provide peak-time bus lanes from Halswell to the central city. The project aims to improve public transport reliability, efficiency and reduce traffic congestion.
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Find out more about the Lincoln Road water and roading upgrades.