More work is needed before billions are spent on building an additional Auckland harbour crossing.
That will be the findings of a Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency business case recommendation to be released this week calling for a “phased approach” to developing harbour crossing infrastructure.
It follows the recent disruption caused on the Auckland Harbour Bridge when a truck blew over and caused damage to a load-bearing steel beam, causing the closure of four lanes.
NZTA transport services general manager Brett Gliddon says the September incident “reinforces the importance of diversifying away from reliance on the current cross-harbour connections”.
“However, the business case shows more work is required to confirm details of additional harbour connections before committing billions of dollars.”
The business case analyses the current and future issues faced in Auckland’s Northern Motorway corridor and recommends a way forward for a long-lasting response.
Mayor Phil Goff says the success of the Northern Busway has helped to reduce immediate pressure on the Harbour Bridge, but with Auckland’s population set to hit nearly two million by 2030, “in the longer-term an additional harbour crossing will be essential”.
“A new harbour crossing will likely be the most expensive infrastructure project ever undertaken in New Zealand, so it’s crucial that we take the time necessary to get the planning and design right,” he says.
A key finding of the business case is the need to enhance the successful Northern Busway.
Auckland Transport is now progressing that investigation which will examine ways of upgrading the busway to increase its capacity, reliability and overall service quality into the future.
It recommends a phased approach to developing an additional rapid transit connection for the North Shore (including across the Waitemata Harbour to the city centre) that supplements and integrates with the busway and the wider transport system to provide more public transport options.
Road improvements are also required in the future to improve resilience and address growing interpeak congestion.
The next phase will confirm the mode, form and function of an additional crossing as well as a timeline for it to be in place before the enhanced busway reaches capacity. This will be followed by a phase to route protect land required for the options developed as part of the process.
The long-term solutions being investigated would likely be New Zealand’s biggest transport investments, costing billions of dollars and would be expected to take more than 15 years of design and construction work.
Apart from the Northern Busway improvements, construction is not anticipated to start until the 2030s. The community and stakeholders will be given an opportunity to have their say and help shape the next phases of planning work, expected in 2021.
The full business case document will be available on the Waka Kotahi website from Friday, November 6.
