NZ TRANSPORT AGENCY
MEDIA RELEASE

11 September 2009

NZTA confirms route for Western Ring Route completion

The NZ Transport Agency Board has confirmed the combined surface/tunnel alignment for the Waterview Connection project that will complete the Western Ring Route around Auckland. The alignment is the same as that selected by the board in May this year as its preferred option.

Chairman Brian Roche said the Board was aware of the community’s interests and concerns about aspects of the project, and he believed the combined surface tunnel alignment was the best option to complete the Western Ring Route within available funding.

“We know that building a major infrastructure project in urban Auckland will affect people’s lives and the environment. The Waterview Connection project is especially challenging because no land has ever been set aside to connect the highway network.”

In confirming the alignment, Mr Roche said the Board was confident that the project’s effects could be managed in a fair and reasonable way and that many of the community concerns can be addressed through good design. Further work will be done before the board gives approval to begin statutory consent processes.

Over the next two months the NZTA will provide the Board with details on how a range of issues will be addressed. These include noise, loss of open space, air quality, and whether the gap between the different tunnel constructions near Great North and Blockhouse Bay Roads can be closed.

“We are acutely aware of the community’s concerns about the effect of this project in their neighbourhoods and how the issues they have raised will be managed. The Board is confident that these issues will be addressed as we proceed to the next step.

“We’ve chosen a route that is affordable and which can be completed on time. We believe it provides the best balance between the need to complete the Western Ring Route with the impacts on surrounding communities. This route can also be funded within the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF), providing certainty for construction, whῩchᾠcould begin as soon as 2011.

The Western Ring Route is one of seven Roads of National Significance identified earlier this year by Government. Completing it will provide major benefits for Auckland and New Zealand, and the Waterview Connection is the final link needed to unlock its full benefits, Mr Roche said.

The Waterview Connection will connect SH20 at Mt Roskill to the Northwestern Motorway (SH16). The route travels the length of Alan Wood Reserve but avoids most other open space areas valued by the community. In the south where the project will be at surface, the motorway will be built adjacent to an area that already has land set aside for rail.

Visit the Waterview Connection website at www.nzta.govt.nz/waterviewconnection
For Q & A, please refer below

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WESTERN RING ROUTE - WATERVIEW CONNECTION PROJECT

Questions and Answers – 11 September 2009

What is the Western Ring Route?
The Western Ring Route is an alternative 48km motorway between Manukau City in the south and North Shore City at Albany in the north that links three state highways, the Southwestern Motorway (SH20), the Northwestern Motorway (SH16) and the Upper Harbour Highway (SH18). It will reduce reliance on the Auckland Harbour Bridge and on the Southern Motorway. It is one of seven roads of national significance announced recently by the government.

Why is it important to finish it?
The completion of the Western Ring Route will have national and regional economic benefits. It will improve travel times and access between the west and the south Auckland, including Auckland Airport for commuters and businesses, and provide a motorway link from the CBD to the airport.

Where does the Waterview Connection project fit in?
It is the missing link in the Western Ring Route that will connect SH20 at Mt Roskill to SH16 at Waterview near Great North Road. This project will unlock the full benefits of the major investments already made in the Western Ring Route.

Why was this option chosen for the Waterview Connection project?
Many options have been investigated over the past decade. More recently a further extensive review occurred and three options were put to the board. The board believes the combined surface tunnel option balances the need to complete the Western Ring Route with the needs of the community. It is also an option which we can afford now and which can be completed 12 months earlier than the twin tunnels.

Was the community consulted on this route before it was finalised?
Yes. The NZTA ran an extensive 11-week community engagement campaign that ended on 31 July 2009. This involved visits to affected residents and others, the distribution of nearly 10,000 brochures, a series of open days attended by over 600 people and 18 presentations to community boards, councils, community groups and others. Project staff spoke to more than a thousand people in person or over the phone and provided information to many thousands more.

What was the outcome of that consultation?
A total of 465 responses were received from the community and a further 27 submissions were made by stakeholder groups. The top three concerns raised in these responses were about air quality, loss of open space and the impact of noise on the community.

Will there be any changes to the route/alignment as a result of the consultation?
There are a number of valid concerns raised in the responses that the NZTA Board wants to see addressed. The Board has asked the NZTA to provide design detail and technical information by November on how a range of issues can be addressed in a fair and reasonable way, including noise, loss of open space, air quality and whether the gap between tunnels near Great North and Blockhouse Bay Roads can be closed or eliminated.

Will the feedback provided through engagement be used to inform the next stages of the project?
Yes. The information provided will inform further design of the project, and we will examine potential means of addressing the specific concerns raised.

What is the timeline for design and construction?
Design development will continue this year to address issues raised by the community before the project proceeds to a statutory process. Design will continue to be refined after that and construction is likely to start in the 2011/12 financial year. More community information days on the project are planned for later this year.

When will property owners know what’s happening with their homes and when?
We are already purchasing properties that we know are required and this will continue. We can now also purchase underground strata titles (the right to dig under properties) and as the design develops further we will be able to provide more certainty for other property owners.

Has NZTA already purchased properties on the route?
Yes. Thirty properties have been purchased since this route was announced as our preferred option in May.

How many properties are affected by the chosen route?
The route directly affects 365 residential properties, although we anticipate that this number may reduce as the design is further developed. The NZTA already owns 126 of these properties.

How much will the project cost?
The project has an estimated cost of $1.4billion including associated improvements to SH16.

How will it be funded?
The project can be funded within the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF), providing certainty for construction, which could begin as soon as 2011. The 2009-2012 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) outlines planned expenditure over the next three years. It recognises the full cost of developing the chosen Waterview Connection option and of providing capacity improvements on SH16. Most of the significant expenditure will take place in the financial years 2011/12 to 2015/16.

How does the cost compare to the previous twin tunnel proposal?
It’s about a billion dollars less. No debt financing will be required and the construction methods are cheaper.

What improvements will be made to SH16?
Designs are being developed to improve the capacity and safety of this important commuter route. The plan is to widen SH16 between St Lukes and Te Atatu to accommodate the extra traffic. The Lincoln Road interchange will also be upgraded, and the causeway will be raised to improve motorist and cyclist safety by eliminating flooding. Further details on the planned works for SH16 will be available next week.

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