Government creates uncertainty over Auckland’s next harbour crossing.

Forum for Auckland Sustainable Transport (FAST) is concerned by the Government's
move to muddy the previous well researched waters of what Auckland's next Harbour Crossing should be, and when it should be delivered.

In 2008, the NZ Transport Agencies the ARC and local Auckland Councils completed a comprehensive $1.3 million study1 that determined the best option for the next Waitemata Harbour crossing would be tunnels; one pair for road and one pair for rail).

FAST’s Bevan Woodward says “Now the Government has muddied that clarity by reopening the debate of tunnels versus bridge, with the rather obvious objective of setting the stage for the Minister of Transport’s preference: a road-only bridge.

We find it extraordinary that the Government would seriously consider a road-only bridge to solve Auckland’s future transport issues.”

“Furthermore, the Government is now trying to bring the construction of the next harbour crossing forward with flawed arguments2 such as:
“Growth forecasts indicate that restrictions on freight loadings on the bridge need to be in place in approximately 20 years”

This is not what NZTA’s AHB Freight Management Strategy forecasts. The following NZTA graph3 shows that now NZTA has addressed the issue of illegally overweight trucks4, the loading on the clip-ons is well below capacity for the next 50 years.

1 SKM’s Waitemata Harbour Crossing Study 2008 considered 159 options and recommended Option 2c: Tunnels at an indicative cost of $3.7 to 4.1 billion
2 NZTA’s Additional Waitemata Harbour Crossing website “Key Points”
http://awhc.nzta.govt.nz/FAQs/tabid/64/language/en-NZ/Default.aspx
3 NZTA’s AHB Freight Management Workshop presentation, slide 5
4 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10680635
“The AHB strengthening is now at its maximum”

This is incorrect. Holmes Consulting Group have proposed dynamic load sharing with the central truss bridge (see NZ Herald article5 Aug 20, 2009) that for approximately $10 million will significantly improve the clip-ons strength. The central truss bridge is an external structure that can be strengthened over time by upgrading its components as and when necessary.

“An additional harbour crossing needs to be in place in approximately 20 years to cater for Auckland’s expected growth”

The Government is ignoring the impact of the Western Ring Route which will reduce the traffic loading and volumes on the Auckland Harbour Bridge. The Western Ring Route is due to be completed in 2020 and is described by on NZTA’s website6 as:

“A strategic alternative to SH1, reducing reliance on SH1 and the Auckland Harbour Bridge.”

Furthermore, a new road crossing of the Waitemata Harbour is not required for the following reasons:

1) Peak hour traffic volumes on the Auckland Harbour Bridge have been in decline since 19917 and the total daily traffic peaked in 20068. This decline will continue as petrol prices rise, public transport services improve, the Western Ring Route is completed and if congestion charging is introduced.

2) The existing Auckland Harbour Bridge has capacity on the southern clip-on for an architecturally designed walking and cycling pathway that can be funded by a toll paid by users.

This would further reduce peak traffic volumes on the bridge as more people choose not to drive.

3) The Government is borrowing over $1 billion a month to sustain its current spending. Given the massive additional investment required to rebuild Christchurch, NZ cannot afford the luxury of new harbour crossing for Auckland that is clearly not urgent.

4) The clear priority for Auckland is improved public transport to bring some balance to a cardominated transport network which is stifling Auckland’s economy. Projects such as CBD rail tunnel should be prioritised and in regard to the North Shore, a rail link by tunnel via Wynyard Quarter to Britomart Station is a logical next step.

5 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10591943

6 http://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/completing-wrr/

7 Traffic Decline casts shadow on $3b tunnel - The New Zealand Herald, Wednesday 11 July 2007

8 http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/state-highway-traffic-volumes/docs/SHTV-2005-2009.pdf

ends

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