New Zealand State Highway 88
Encyclopedia
State Highway 88 is a New Zealand State Highway connecting the city centre of Dunedin
with Port Chalmers
, which is the location of Dunedin's main port facilities and home of one of New Zealand's major container terminal
s. It is roughly 18 km long.
SH 88 departs from SH 1 at the corner of St. Andrew Street and Castle Street, close to Dunedin's city centre. The highway travels briefly east before turning northeast at a major intersection to follow Anzac Avenue. After some 400 metres, the highway is diverted onto a new stretch of road opened in 2011 to bypass the Forsyth Barr Stadium. At this point the highway crosses the Water of Leith, New Zealand
, close to the point at which it empties into Otago Harbour. To the northwest of the stadium it joins Ravensbourne Road, passing along the northwestern shore of Otago Harbour
through the settlements of Ravensbourne
, Maia, and Saint Leonards. Much of this journey is relatively flat, though there are some undulating sections between Maia and St Leonards. This is in marked contrast to the surrounding countryside, which is steeply sloping; the highway passes along the foothills of Signal Hill
during much of its course.
North of St Leonards the highway passes through a low saddle between the bulk of the island and the small Roseneath
Peninsula. A major intersection to the north of this connects the highway with the main road of the settlement of Sawyer's Bay. The highway continues its undulating course, passing under a viaduct carrying the South Island Main Trunk railway before entering Port Chalmers
, where it becomes the town's main street, George Street. The highway terminates at the intersection of five roads close to the gates of the container port.
.
The highway is notoriously dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians. This is due in no small part to its winding (and in places narrow) nature; the heavy container traffic between the port, city, and heavy industrial works close to Logan Park; and the lack of footpaths for much of its length. In order to partially alleviate these dangers, a separate walkway and cycleway was built parallel to the highway in the early 2000s between the mouth of the Leith and Maia, bypassing Ravensbourne and its associated industrial sites (the Ravensdown fertiliser factory and Logan Point quarry).
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
with Port Chalmers
Port Chalmers
Port Chalmers is a suburb and the main port of the city of Dunedin, New Zealand, with a population of 3,000. Port Chalmers lies ten kilometres inside Otago Harbour, some 15 kilometres northeast from Dunedin's city centre....
, which is the location of Dunedin's main port facilities and home of one of New Zealand's major container terminal
Container terminal
A container terminal is a facility where cargo containers are transshipped between different transport vehicles, for onward transportation. The transshipment may be between container ships and land vehicles, for example trains or trucks, in which case the terminal is described as a maritime...
s. It is roughly 18 km long.
Route
As of 2011, this is the route State Highway 88 takes.SH 88 departs from SH 1 at the corner of St. Andrew Street and Castle Street, close to Dunedin's city centre. The highway travels briefly east before turning northeast at a major intersection to follow Anzac Avenue. After some 400 metres, the highway is diverted onto a new stretch of road opened in 2011 to bypass the Forsyth Barr Stadium. At this point the highway crosses the Water of Leith, New Zealand
Water of Leith, New Zealand
The Water of Leith , is a small river in the South Island of New Zealand.It rises to the north of the city of Dunedin, flowing for 14 kilometres southeast through the northern part of the city and the campus of the University of Otago before reaching the Otago Harbour...
, close to the point at which it empties into Otago Harbour. To the northwest of the stadium it joins Ravensbourne Road, passing along the northwestern shore of Otago Harbour
Otago Harbour
Otago Harbour is the natural harbour of Dunedin, New Zealand, consisting of a long, much-indented stretch of generally navigable water separating the Otago Peninsula from the mainland. They join at its southwest end, from the harbour mouth...
through the settlements of Ravensbourne
Ravensbourne, New Zealand
Ravensbourne is a suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is located on the steep southeastern slopes of Signal Hill above the Otago Harbour. It lies on the harbour's northern shore, east-northeast of the city centre...
, Maia, and Saint Leonards. Much of this journey is relatively flat, though there are some undulating sections between Maia and St Leonards. This is in marked contrast to the surrounding countryside, which is steeply sloping; the highway passes along the foothills of Signal Hill
Signal Hill, New Zealand
Signal Hill is a prominent landform in the city of Dunedin, New Zealand. It is located close to, and due north of, the head of the Otago Harbour and reaches an elevation of 393 m . The suburbs Ravensbourne, St. Leonards, and Opoho lie on its southern, eastern, and northwestern flanks, respectively...
during much of its course.
North of St Leonards the highway passes through a low saddle between the bulk of the island and the small Roseneath
Roseneath, Otago
Roseneath is a small suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin, located on the northwestern shore of Otago Harbour, to the northeast of Dunedin city centre. It is situated between Saint Leonards and Port Chalmers on a rocky promontory of the same name which juts into the harbour between Sawyers...
Peninsula. A major intersection to the north of this connects the highway with the main road of the settlement of Sawyer's Bay. The highway continues its undulating course, passing under a viaduct carrying the South Island Main Trunk railway before entering Port Chalmers
Port Chalmers
Port Chalmers is a suburb and the main port of the city of Dunedin, New Zealand, with a population of 3,000. Port Chalmers lies ten kilometres inside Otago Harbour, some 15 kilometres northeast from Dunedin's city centre....
, where it becomes the town's main street, George Street. The highway terminates at the intersection of five roads close to the gates of the container port.
Route changes
Prior to the building of the Forsyth Barr Stadium in 2011, SH 88 traversed the length of Anzac Avenue, veering east onto Ravensbourne Road at the edge of Logan ParkLogan Park, Dunedin
Logan Park is a sporting venue in the city of Dunedin, New Zealand. It lies on land reclaimed from the former Lake Logan.- History :Lake Logan was reclaimed in the early 20th century...
.
The highway is notoriously dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians. This is due in no small part to its winding (and in places narrow) nature; the heavy container traffic between the port, city, and heavy industrial works close to Logan Park; and the lack of footpaths for much of its length. In order to partially alleviate these dangers, a separate walkway and cycleway was built parallel to the highway in the early 2000s between the mouth of the Leith and Maia, bypassing Ravensbourne and its associated industrial sites (the Ravensdown fertiliser factory and Logan Point quarry).