Work on a $15.5 million project to improve Invercargill's flood defences begins next month.

As part of a key climate resilience project in Southland, Invercargill City Council is upgrading the Stead St Stopbank with a sheet pile wall. 

The aim is to protect the city, the Invercargill Airport and critical infrastructure from extreme weather events, sea level rise, flooding and further effects of climate change.

Council is investing $4.7 million in the project and additional funding of $10.8m is set to come from Kānoa – the Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit. 

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But the work will see some significant traffic management in place.

Stead St, the road between Invercargill and the suburb of Otatara, will become one-lane for the duration of the project, which is expected to be completed in April, 2022. 

It will open only to westbound traffic travelling to Otatara. Traffic travelling eastbound from Otatara to Invercargill will be able to access the city via Bay Rd.

Access from the city to the airport is being prioritised, so the road will only change to one lane after Airport Ave.

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The shared pedestrian and cycle pathway will be temporarily relocated to the north side of Stead St for the project, allowing pedestrian and cyclist travel in both directions.

Invercargill City Council Group Manager Infrastructure Erin Moogan said: "We understand this will mean people will have to change some of their routines and we are mindful of that. 

"But we also know that this work must be done for the safety, protection and future of our city.

"Invercargill is at high risk of flooding and the reality of climate change means climate resilience projects are crucial. We are pleased to have the support of Kānoa for this key

piece of work."

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The work will involve the erection of a heightened sheet pile floodwall to reinforce the earth embankment and provide a more robust defence against the sea waters, preventing waves from coming over the bank and on to the road.

"We will also be widening the current shared pedestrian and cycle pathway along the stopbank, and raising the height of the adjoining Cobbe Rd stopbank."

The project will mean both the Stead St and Cobbe Rd stopbanks will meet the minimum climate change and wave overtopping prevention levels for hazard protection.

Work on Cobbe Rd was already under way, and work on installing underground power cables had also already started along Stead St, which will allow the above-ground power

poles to be removed from the stopbank.

The work is one of Southland's 'shovel-ready projects announced in 2020, part of a wide focus on the region’s flood protection and river management schemes.